cheoncheonhi malhae boseyo.

slowly

Breakdown of cheoncheonhi malhae boseyo.

• 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.