Facing a challenging academic assignment like a philosophy paper can be daunting, and sometimes asking a friend for help is the best way forward. This guide provides essential Korean phrases and cultural context for requesting assistance from a friend when you’re stuck on a difficult paper, specifically focusing on a scenario at home.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 이것 좀 도와줄 수 있어?
Pronunciation: i-geot jom do-wa-jul su i-sseo?
Meaning: Can you help me with this? (Informal)
Basic Request Phrases
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Expression: 나 좀 도와줘.
Pronunciation: na jom do-wa-jwo.
Meaning: Help me out. (Informal) -
Expression: 시간 괜찮으면 잠깐 봐줄래?
Pronunciation: si-gan gwaen-chan-eu-myeon jam-kkan bwa-jul-lae?
Meaning: If you have time, could you take a quick look? (Informal) -
Expression: 부탁 하나만 해도 돼?
Pronunciation: bu-tak ha-na-man hae-do dwae?
Meaning: Can I ask you a favor? (Informal) -
Expression: 네 도움이 필요해.
Pronunciation: ne do-u-mi pi-ryo-hae.
Meaning: I need your help. (Informal, ‘ne’ refers to ‘your’) -
Expression: 혹시 이거 아는 거 있어?
Pronunciation: hok-si i-geo a-neun geo i-sseo?
Meaning: Do you happen to know anything about this? -
Expression: 잠깐 시간 좀 내줄 수 있어?
Pronunciation: jam-kkan si-gan jom nae-jul su i-sseo?
Meaning: Can you spare a moment? (Informal) -
Expression: 어떻게 해야 할지 모르겠어.
Pronunciation: eo-tteo-ke hae-ya hal-ji mo-reu-ge-sseo.
Meaning: I don’t know what to do / how to proceed. -
Expression: 같이 좀 보자.
Pronunciation: ga-chi jom bo-ja.
Meaning: Let’s look at it together. -
Expression: 너라면 잘 알 것 같아서.
Pronunciation: neo-ra-myeon jal al geot ga-ta-seo.
Meaning: Because I thought you might know well. (Explaining why you’re asking them) -
Expression: 조언 좀 해줄래?
Pronunciation: jo-eon jom hae-jul-lae?
Meaning: Can you give me some advice? (Informal)
Explaining the Difficulty (Philosophy Paper)
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Expression: 철학 과제가 너무 어려워.
Pronunciation: cheol-hak gwa-je-ga neo-mu eo-ryeo-wo.
Meaning: This philosophy assignment is too difficult. -
Expression: 이 개념이 이해가 안 돼.
Pronunciation: i gae-nyeo-mi i-hae-ga an dwae.
Meaning: I don’t understand this concept. -
Expression: 어디서부터 시작해야 할지 모르겠어.
Pronunciation: eo-di-seo-bu-teo si-ja-kae-ya hal-ji mo-reu-ge-sseo.
Meaning: I don’t know where to start. -
Expression: 논리가 잘 안 세워져.
Pronunciation: nol-li-ga jal an se-wo-jyeo.
Meaning: I can’t seem to build a solid argument/logic. -
Expression: 이 부분에서 막혔어.
Pronunciation: i bu-bu-ne-seo ma-kyeo-sseo.
Meaning: I’m stuck on this part. -
Expression: 교수님 설명이 좀 애매했어.
Pronunciation: gyo-su-nim seol-myeong-i jom ae-mae-hae-sseo.
Meaning: The professor’s explanation was a bit ambiguous. -
Expression: 자료를 찾아봐도 잘 모르겠네.
Pronunciation: ja-ryo-reul cha-ja-bwa-do jal mo-reu-gen-ne.
Meaning: Even after looking up resources, I’m still not sure. -
Expression: 글이 잘 안 써져.
Pronunciation: geu-ri jal an sseo-jyeo.
Meaning: I’m having trouble writing / The writing isn’t flowing well. -
Expression: 네 생각은 어때?
Pronunciation: ne saeng-ga-geun eo-ttae?
Meaning: What do you think? (Asking for their opinion on the topic) -
Expression: 이 철학자 너무 어렵다.
Pronunciation: i cheol-hak-ja neo-mu eo-ryeop-da.
Meaning: This philosopher is too difficult.
Suggesting Collaboration and Asking for Specific Input
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Expression: 같이 고민 좀 해볼래?
Pronunciation: ga-chi go-min jom hae-bol-lae?
Meaning: Want to brainstorm this together? -
Expression: 내가 쓴 거 한번 읽어봐 줄 수 있어?
Pronunciation: nae-ga sseun geo han-beon il-geo-bwa jul su i-sseo?
Meaning: Can you read over what I’ve written? -
Expression: 이 문장 좀 이상하지 않아?
Pronunciation: i mun-jang jom i-sang-ha-ji a-na?
Meaning: Doesn’t this sentence seem a bit strange? -
Expression: 네 의견을 듣고 싶어.
Pronunciation: ne ui-gyeo-neul deut-go si-peo.
Meaning: I want to hear your opinion. (Informal) -
Expression: 혹시 좋은 아이디어 있어?
Pronunciation: hok-si jo-eun a-i-di-eo i-sseo?
Meaning: Do you happen to have any good ideas? -
Expression: 이 부분 어떻게 생각하는지 알려줘.
Pronunciation: i bu-bun eo-tteo-ke saeng-ga-ka-neun-ji al-lyeo-jwo.
Meaning: Let me know what you think about this part. -
Expression: 내가 놓친 부분이 있을까?
Pronunciation: nae-ga no-chin bu-bu-ni i-sseul-kka?
Meaning: Is there anything I might have missed? -
Expression: 논리적으로 말이 되는지 봐줘.
Pronunciation: nol-li-jeo-geu-ro ma-ri doe-neun-ji bwa-jwo.
Meaning: Please check if this makes sense logically. -
Expression: 참고할 만한 자료 알아?
Pronunciation: cham-go-hal man-han ja-ryo a-ra?
Meaning: Do you know any good reference materials? -
Expression: 이 해석이 맞는지 모르겠어.
Pronunciation: i hae-seo-gi man-neun-ji mo-reu-ge-sseo.
Meaning: I’m not sure if this interpretation is correct.
Expressing Gratitude
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Expression: 와, 진짜 고마워!
Pronunciation: wa, jin-jja go-ma-wo!
Meaning: Wow, thank you so much! (Informal) -
Expression: 덕분에 살았어.
Pronunciation: deok-bu-ne sa-ra-sseo.
Meaning: You saved me / Thanks to you, I survived. (Informal expression of great relief) -
Expression: 네 덕분에 해결됐어.
Pronunciation: ne deok-bu-ne hae-gyeol-dwae-sseo.
Meaning: It’s solved thanks to you. (Informal) -
Expression: 역시 너밖에 없다!
Pronunciation: yeok-si neo-bak-ke eop-da!
Meaning: As expected, you’re the best! / There’s no one like you! (Informal praise) -
Expression: 다음에 내가 밥 살게.
Pronunciation: da-eu-me nae-ga bap sal-ge.
Meaning: I’ll buy you a meal next time. (Common way to repay a favor) -
Expression: 정말 큰 도움이 됐어.
Pronunciation: jeong-mal keun do-u-mi dwae-sseo.
Meaning: It was really a big help. -
Expression: 너 아니었으면 큰일 날 뻔했어.
Pronunciation: neo a-ni-eo-sseu-myeon keu-nil nal ppeon-hae-sseo.
Meaning: If it wasn’t for you, I would have been in big trouble. (Informal) -
Expression: 이 은혜는 꼭 갚을게!
Pronunciation: i eun-hye-neun kkok ga-peul-ge!
Meaning: I’ll definitely repay this favor! (Slightly dramatic but common among close friends) -
Expression: 덕분에 감 잡았어.
Pronunciation: deok-bu-ne gam ja-ba-sseo.
Meaning: Thanks to you, I got the hang of it. -
Expression: 시간 내줘서 고마워.
Pronunciation: si-gan nae-jwo-seo go-ma-wo.
Meaning: Thanks for making time for me. (Informal)
Cultural Tips
When asking friends for help with schoolwork in Korea, keep these points in mind:
Reciprocity is Key: While close friends are often happy to help, it’s customary to show appreciation. Offering to buy a meal (밥 살게 – bap sal-ge) or coffee is a common and appreciated gesture.
Timing Matters: Be mindful of your friend’s schedule. Asking for help when they are also busy with their own deadlines might be difficult. It’s polite to ask if they have time first (혹시 지금 시간 괜찮아? – hok-si ji-geum si-gan gwaen-chan-a?).
Specify the Help Needed: Instead of just saying “help me,” try to be specific about what you’re struggling with (e.g., “Can you look at this paragraph?” or “Do you understand this philosopher’s argument?”). This shows you’ve already put in effort.
Group Study Culture: Studying together (스터디 – seo-teo-di) is very common in Korea, often done at cafes, libraries, or study rooms. Asking for help can naturally arise in these settings, making it feel less like a direct imposition.
Acknowledge Their Effort: Make sure to genuinely thank your friend for their time and input. Phrases like 정말 도움이 많이 됐어 (jeong-mal do-u-mi ma-ni dwae-sseo – It was really helpful) go a long way.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: Minjun and his friend Jiwon are studying at Minjun’s home. Minjun is struggling with his philosophy paper.
Characters:
- A: Minjun (Struggling student)
- B: Jiwon (Friend being asked for help)
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Expression: A: 아… 진짜 모르겠다. 지윤아, 혹시 잠깐 시간 돼?
Pronunciation: A… jin-jja mo-reu-get-da. ji-yun-a, hok-si jam-kkan si-gan dwae?
Meaning: A: Ah… I really don’t get it. Jiwon, do you happen to have a moment? -
Expression: B: 응? 왜? 무슨 일 있어?
Pronunciation: eung? wae? mu-seun il i-sseo?
Meaning: B: Huh? Why? What’s up? -
Expression: A: 이 철학 과제 때문에 죽겠어. 이 부분 개념이 이해가 잘 안 돼서. 이것 좀 도와줄 수 있어?
Pronunciation: i cheol-hak gwa-je ttae-mu-ne juk-ge-sseo. i bu-bun gae-nyeo-mi i-hae-ga jal an dwae-seo. i-geot jom do-wa-jul su i-sseo?
Meaning: A: I’m dying because of this philosophy assignment. I don’t really understand the concept in this part. Can you help me with this? -
Expression: B: 어디 보자. 아, 칸트? 이 부분 좀 헷갈리지. 나도 작년에 고생했어.
Pronunciation: eo-di bo-ja. a, kan-teu? i bu-bun jom het-gal-li-ji. na-do jak-nyeone go-saeng-hae-sseo.
Meaning: B: Let me see. Ah, Kant? This part is a bit confusing, right? I also struggled with it last year. -
Expression: A: 정말? 그럼 혹시 내가 쓴 거 한번 읽어봐 줄 수 있어? 논리가 이상한 것 같아서.
Pronunciation: jeong-mal? geu-reom hok-si nae-ga sseun geo han-beon il-geo-bwa jul su i-sseo? nol-li-ga i-sang-han geot ga-ta-seo.
Meaning: A: Really? Then, could you possibly read over what I’ve written? I feel like the logic is weird. -
Expression: B: 그래, 잠깐 봐줄게. 어디? 음… 여기 이 문장은 조금 더 명확하게 쓰면 좋겠다.
Pronunciation: geu-rae, jam-kkan bwa-jul-ge. eo-di? eum… yeo-gi i mun-jang-eun jo-geum deo myeong-hwak-ha-ge sseu-myeon jo-ket-da.
Meaning: B: Sure, I’ll take a quick look. Where? Hmm… It would be better if you wrote this sentence here a bit more clearly. -
Expression: A: 아, 그렇구나! 역시 너한테 물어보길 잘했다. 진짜 고마워!
Pronunciation: a, geu-reo-ku-na! yeok-si neo-han-te mu-reo-bo-gil jal-haet-da. jin-jja go-ma-wo!
Meaning: A: Ah, I see! I knew it was a good idea to ask you. Thank you so much! -
Expression: B: 뭘. 다 하면 같이 뭐 시켜 먹자.
Pronunciation: mwol. da ha-myeon ga-chi mwo si-kyeo meok-ja.
Meaning: B: No problem. Let’s order some food together when you’re done. -
Expression: A: 좋지! 내가 살게! 덕분에 살았어.
Pronunciation: jo-chi! nae-ga sal-ge! deok-bu-ne sa-ra-sseo.
Meaning: A: Sounds good! My treat! You saved me.
Practice Tips
Now you have the phrases to ask a friend for help with that tricky philosophy paper! Try role-playing the conversation example with a study partner~. Remember to use the informal speech level (반말 – ban-mal) appropriately with close friends. Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if you’re unsure about a concept – that’s what friends are for! The more you practice, the more natural these expressions will become. Good luck with your studies! 화이팅! (hwa-i-ting! – Fighting!/Good luck!)
