A2
아/어 주다 — doing something for someone
How 아/어 주다 marks an action done for someone else in Korean, how it forms requests, and the honorific 드리다.
주다 means give. Attached to another verb’s 아/어 form it means the action was done for someone’s benefit — and it is how almost every request in Korean is made.
좀 도와주세요.
Jom dowajuseyo.
Please help me.
천천히 말해 주세요.
Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo.
Please speak slowly.
Without it a request sounds like an order
말하세요 is grammatically polite and still lands as an instruction. 말해 주세요 asks for a favour, and the difference is large.
문을 여세요.
문을 열어 주세요.
Both are polite in form. The first tells someone to open the door; the second asks them to do it for you. Only the second is a request.
It also reports a kindness
In a statement, 주다 says the action was done for the subject’s benefit — the Korean equivalent of Japanese てくれる.
친구가 도와줬어요.
Chinguga dowajwosseoyo.
My friend helped me out.
친구가 도왔어요 states the bare fact. 도와줬어요 adds that it was for you, and leaving it out can sound cold.
Upwards it becomes 드리다
Doing something for someone senior takes 드리다, the humble counterpart of 주다.
제가 도와 드릴게요.
Jega dowa deurilgeyo.
Let me help you.
주다 raises the receiver by giving; 드리다 lowers the giver. Korean has both moves and uses them in opposite directions — see (으)시.
주세요 alone
After a noun it simply means please give me, which is how most orders in shops and restaurants are placed.
물 좀 주세요.
Mul jom juseyo.
Some water, please.