Korean phrases / Everyday Korean
이거 잠깐 빌려도 돼? / 이거 좀 쓸 수 있어?
i-geo jam-kkan bil-lyeo-do dwae? / i-geo jom sseul su it-seo?
“Can I borrow this for a sec? / Can I use this?”
🏷️ Close friendsTextbook vs Real
Textbook이것을 빌려 주시겠습니까?i-geot-eul bil-lyeo ju-si-get-seum-ni-kka?
Real이거 잠깐 빌려도 돼? / 이거 좀 쓸 수 있어?i-geo jam-kkan bil-lyeo-do dwae? / i-geo jom sseul su it-seo?
Why Koreans say it this way
잠깐 (for a moment) + ~해도 돼? (is it okay if I?) is the friendliest way to ask. 좀 (a bit) is the magic softener that makes any request less imposing. Never skip 좀 when asking favors in Korean.
Situation: favors