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Learn Hardcore Korean: jogeumman jakge malhae juseyo. - Please speak a little more quietly.

Hardcore Korean
/Lesson 29
/jogeumman jakge malhae juseyo.

jogeumman jakge malhae juseyo.

Word

조금만 작게 말해 주세요.jogeumman jakge malhae juseyo.

Meaning

Please speak a little more quietly.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Korean

Lesson

Breakdown of jogeumman jakge malhae juseyo.

restrictive particle

말해 주다malhae juda

to speak (for someone)

Questions & Answers about jogeumman jakge malhae juseyo.

Can you break down the sentence? What does each part mean and how does it function?

조금 = a little, a bit
만 = only/just (limits the degree)
Together, 조금만 = just a little (bit)
작게 = quietly/softly, in a small/low volume (adverb from 작다 “small” + adverbial suffix -게)
말해 = speak/say (informal connective form of 말하다 “to speak”)
주세요 = please do (for me) (benefactive request from 주다 “to give”) Overall: “Please speak a little (bit) more quietly.”

Why does Korean use 작게 (literally “small-ly”) to mean “quietly/softly”? Is that natural?

Yes. Korean often uses size metaphors for volume:

작게 말하다 = speak quietly/softly (small voice)
크게 말하다 = speak loudly (big voice) So 작게 is the standard adverb for asking someone to lower their speaking volume.

What’s the difference between 작게, 조용히, and 낮게?

작게: lower volume. Focus is on how loud the voice is.
조용히: quietly/in a calm way, making little noise. 조용히 해 주세요 = “Please be quiet.” 조용히 말해 주세요 = “Please speak quietly” (polite, but can feel like “keep it down”).
낮게: low in pitch or “lower” as a degree. 낮게 말하다 often implies a low/deep tone. To ask for a lower volume, idiomatic Korean says (“please lower your voice [volume]”), rather than .

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목소리를 낮춰 주세요

낮게 말해 주세요

Why use 말해 주세요 instead of 말하세요?

말해 주세요 includes the benefactive “do it for me,” which softens the request and sounds more polite and cooperative.
말하세요 is a direct imperative (“Speak.”). 작게 말하세요 is not rude, but it can feel more instructional or directive than 작게 말해 주세요.

Can I say 말씀해 주세요 to be more respectful?

Yes. If addressing someone you should honor, 조금만 작게 말씀해 주세요 is natural. For extra politeness/softness:

조금만 작게 말씀해 주시겠어요?
조금만 작게 말씀해 주시면 감사하겠습니다. Note: 말씀하다 is honorific and should not be used for your own speech.

Do I need 더 to express “more quietly”? Should it be 조금만 더 작게?

Adding 더 makes the comparative explicit:

조금만 작게 말해 주세요: In context, naturally understood as “a little (bit) quieter (than now).”
조금만 더 작게 말해 주세요: Explicitly “a little more quietly.” Both are fine; the version with 더 is clearer about the comparison.

Where can 조금만 go? Can I say 작게 조금만 말해 주세요 or 조금만 말해 주세요?

조금만 작게 말해 주세요 is the natural placement.
작게 조금만 말해 주세요 sounds awkward.
조금만 말해 주세요 changes the meaning to “Please say only a little (few words),” not about volume.

Is 적게 말해 주세요 correct?

No for volume. 적다 means “to be few/less (in amount)” or “to write.” 적게 말해 주세요 means “Please say less (fewer words).” To request brevity, use 짧게 말해 주세요 (“Please keep it brief”). For lower volume, stick with 작게 or phrases like 목소리를 낮춰 주세요.

Is it 말해 주세요 with a space, or 말해주세요 as one word?

Standard orthography prefers a space when -아/어 주다 functions as an auxiliary verb: 말해 주세요. Writing it together (말해주세요) is very common and generally accepted in informal contexts, but most textbooks/style guides teach the spaced form.

How do you pronounce it?

A clear, learner-friendly rendering: jogeumman jakke malhae juseyo.

조금만 often becomes the casual contraction 좀만 in speech.
작게 is pronounced with a tense kk sound: [자께].
말해 = [말해], 주세요 = [주세요].

Why is 작게 ending in -게? What’s that suffix?

-게 turns a descriptive adjective into an adverb (manner). Examples:

작다 → 작게 (small → in a small/quiet way)
빠르다 → 빠르게 (fast → quickly)
쉽다 → 쉽게 (easy → easily)

Can I replace 말해 with 얘기해 (from 이야기하다)?

Yes. 조금만 작게 얘기해 주세요 is natural and friendly. 말하다 is “to speak/say,” while 이야기하다/얘기하다 leans toward “to talk/chat/tell,” but in many everyday contexts they overlap.

What’s a super-formal version?

조금만 작게 말씀해 주십시오.
Or even, 조금만 작게 말씀해 주시면 감사하겠습니다. (very deferential)

What’s the opposite (asking someone to speak louder)?

조금만 크게 말해 주세요.
좀 더 크게 말씀해 주세요. For devices (not people): 볼륨을 조금만 높여 주세요. Avoid 목소리를 높여 주세요 in neutral contexts, as it can imply “raise your voice” (sound angry).

How would I say it casually to a friend or child?

조금만 작게 말해 줘.
Even shorter: 좀만 작게 말해 줘.
Soft ask: 조금만 작게 말해 줄래?

Can I add 좀 as a softener? Where does it go?

Yes. 좀 politely softens a request.

좀 작게 말해 주세요.
You can combine it with 조금만: 조금만 좀 작게 말해 주세요. (a bit redundant-sounding in English, but natural in Korean)

Is 작은 목소리로 말해 주세요 okay?

Yes. 작은 목소리로 말해 주세요 means “Please speak in a quiet/small voice,” which is very natural and common. It emphasizes the manner (“in a small voice”) rather than the degree.

Any cultural tips for asking this politely?

Preface with softeners, especially with strangers/elders:

죄송하지만, 실례지만, 혹시 … Example: 죄송하지만, 조금만 작게 말씀해 주시겠어요? A friendly tone and a small smile go a long way.

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