What Does 제발 (Jebal) Mean in Korean?
After this page, you can recognize 제발 (Jebal) when you hear or read it, and use it naturally in conversation.
10-Second Answer
제발 (jebal) means "please" — but only the desperate, pleading kind: "please, I'm begging you." It is NOT the polite please of ordering coffee. For everyday polite requests Korean uses verb endings like 주세요; 제발 comes out when you're begging, praying, or exasperated.
Quick Examples
제발 도와주세요.
jebal dowajuseyo.
Please, help me (I beg you).
제발 한 번만!
jebal han beon-man!
Please, just this once!
제발 좀 조용히 해.
jebal jom joyonghi hae.
PLEASE just be quiet.
Exasperated — 제발 좀 adds a 'for heaven's sake' flavor.
제발 붙게 해 주세요...
jebal butge hae juseyo...
Please let me pass (the exam)...
Praying/wishing usage.
Why 'Please' Is a Trap for English Speakers
English uses one word — please — for both politeness and begging. Korean splits them:
| You want to… | Korean uses | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Make a polite request | -아/어 주세요 ending | 물 주세요 — Water, please |
| Beg / plead / pray | 제발 (+ 주세요) | 제발 살려 주세요 — Please, save me |
| Exasperatedly demand | 제발 좀 | 제발 좀 그만해 — For heaven's sake, stop |
So 커피 제발 ("coffee, please") at a café sounds like you're begging the barista for mercy. Just say 커피 주세요.
Where You'll Hear It
- K-drama confessions and crises: 제발 가지 마 — please don't go
- Fans on social media: 제발 컴백 — please come back
- Exam season prayers, sports fans mid-match, and anyone begging a friend for a favor
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Using 제발 as everyday 'please'
Ordering food, asking directions, shopping: no 제발. The politeness lives in the verb ending 주세요/-세요.
Mistake #2 — Missing the sarcasm
제발 좀 among friends is often theatrical exasperation, not real begging — 'pleeease, I'm begging you, stop being embarrassing.'
Mini Quiz
1. How do you politely ask for water at a restaurant?
2. What feeling does 제발 가지 마 express?
3. What does 제발 좀 add?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
제발 and 어떡해 are the two pillars of K-drama desperation — complete the set.
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Start today's study →Last updated: 2026-08-10 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.