cheoncheonhi malhae boseyo.

Try speaking slowly.

Breakdown of cheoncheonhi malhae boseyo.

• 천천히: slowly
• 말해 보다: to try speaking

Questions & Answers about cheoncheonhi malhae boseyo.

What does the ending in 말해 보세요 do?

The pattern -아/어 보다 means “try doing.” So 말해 보세요 = “try speaking.” It invites the listener to attempt the action rather than commanding it bluntly.

How is 말해 보세요 different from 말하세요 or 말해 주세요?

• 말해 보세요: “Try speaking (go ahead and say it).” Encouraging, often used when prompting or coaching.
• 말하세요: “Speak.” A straightforward polite instruction/request.
• 말해 주세요: “Please speak (for me).” Emphasizes a favor/request being done for the speaker; most natural when you need someone to do it to help you (e.g., “Please speak slowly so I can understand”).

For asking someone to slow down because you can’t follow them, 천천히 말해 주세요 is the most common.

Is 보세요 the same 보다 as “to see/look”?

Yes. As an auxiliary verb, 보다 takes on the idiomatic meaning “try (doing).” In 말해 보세요, it no longer means “look”; it means “try.”

What politeness level is 천천히 말해 보세요?

It uses the -세요 polite imperative, appropriate for most everyday situations. It’s polite but not very formal. For very formal settings, upgrade to 천천히 말씀해 보십시오 or more commonly 천천히 말씀해 주세요.

How can I make this more formal or more casual?

• More formal: 천천히 말씀해 주시겠어요?, 천천히 말씀해 보십시오.
• Neutral polite (original): 천천히 말해 보세요.
• Friendly polite: 천천히 말해 봐요.
• Casual: 천천히 말해 봐.
• Very common polite request: 천천히 말해 주세요.

Should I use 말씀 instead of 말 when speaking to elders?

Yes, use 말씀 to honor the listener: 천천히 말씀해 주세요 is safer and more respectful than 천천히 말해 주세요. You can also say 천천히 말씀해 보세요 when prompting someone to try speaking.

Where can I put 천천히? Can I add 좀?

Place 천천히 before the verb phrase: 천천히 말해 보세요. You can soften with 좀: 천천히 좀 말해 주세요 or 좀 천천히 말씀해 주세요. You can also say 조금 더 천천히 말씀해 주세요 (“a little slower, please”).

Can I use 느리게 instead of 천천히?

For speech, 천천히 is the natural choice. 느리게 describes slow speed more mechanically and sounds odd with speaking unless in a technical/clinical context (e.g., speech therapy).

Why is it 말해 and not 말해요 before 보세요?

In multi-verb constructions, only the final verb carries the sentence ending (politeness/tense). 말해 links to 보세요, which holds the polite imperative. Saying 말해요 보세요 is ungrammatical.

Is it 말해 보세요 or 말해보세요 (spacing)?

Both are accepted. Because 보다 functions as an auxiliary here, many write it together (말해보세요). Textbooks often prefer a space (말해 보세요). Be consistent with your style.

How do I pronounce it? And what’s the romanization?

• Romanization: cheoncheonhi malhae boseyo
• Pronunciation: [천천히 말해 보세요]. Every syllable is clearly sounded; keep the ㅎ in 천천히 audible and pronounce ㅓ like “uh.”

Does this ever mean “Go ahead and say it slowly”?

Yes. 말해 보세요 often functions as an encouraging prompt (“go ahead”). With 천천히, it becomes “go ahead and say it slowly,” e.g., when someone is hesitant or practicing pronunciation.

What’s a softer way to ask someone older to speak more slowly?

Try: 죄송하지만, 좀 더 천천히 말씀해 주시겠어요? or 혹시 조금만 천천히 말씀해 주실 수 있을까요? These add apology and tentative wording to sound extra polite.

How do I say “Please say that again slowly”?

• 다시 천천히 말씀해 주세요.
• 한 번만 더 천천히 말씀해 주시겠어요? Using 다시 = “again.” 한 번만 더 softens the request.

Can I use 얘기하다/이야기하다 instead of 말하다?

Yes. 천천히 얘기해 보세요 or 천천히 이야기해 주세요 are natural. 얘기하다/이야기하다 leans toward “talk/tell,” while 말하다 is “say/speak,” but they overlap a lot in conversation.

Is 말을 하다 okay here?

말을 하다 is acceptable Korean, but everyday speech usually prefers the simpler 말하다. So 천천히 말해 보세요 sounds more natural than 천천히 말을 해 보세요.

Any cultural tips so I don’t sound bossy?

Use softeners (좀, 혹시, -주시겠어요?, -주실 수 있을까요?), and consider starting with an apology or attention-getter: 죄송한데, 실례하지만, 저기요. For example: 실례하지만, 좀 천천히 말씀해 주실 수 있을까요?