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Explanation

Benefactive favor.

드리다 honorific.

Start with “도와 주세요.” (Please help me.). Say the whole sentence first, then identify exactly what -아/어 주다 contributes before changing any other words.

Compare “설명해 주세요.” with “기다려 주세요.”. Keep the function of -아/어 주다 the same while noticing what changes around it; then rebuild one of the examples with vocabulary you already know.

Examples

도와 주세요.

Please help me.

설명해 주세요.

Please explain.

기다려 주세요.

Please wait.

Common mistakes

  • Do not choose -아/어 주다 only because an English translation contains “do for”. Check the Korean function, attachment, and speech level in the full sentence.
  • Do not memorize -아/어 주다 as an isolated ending. Mark the stem or phrase it attaches to in one example, then rebuild that example with new vocabulary.

How to practice

  1. Production check: say “도와 주세요.” naturally, then change one content word without changing the job -아/어 주다 is doing.
  2. When a related pattern is listed below, compare both forms in the same situation instead of memorizing two English glosses separately.

Related

Core grammar guides: 동사 + -아/어 주세요Core grammar mapMore grammar patternsParticle checker

Keep learning

-는데-잖아요밖에조차마저뿐이다아서/어서 vs (으)니까-고 있어요

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