Asking someone to hold your place in line | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 잠깐 부탁 하나 해도 될까요?

   Could you do me a quick favor?

   잠깐

   for a moment

   부탁

   favor; request

   하나

   one

   해도 될까요?

   May I do it? / Could I...?

   More detail

   잠깐 means “briefly” or “just a moment.” Here it makes the favor sound quick or small. Example: 잠깐 기다려 주세요. — “Please wait a moment.” 부탁 is a noun meaning “favor” or “request.” A useful pattern is 부탁을 하다, “to ask for or make a request.” Example: 부탁이 있어요. — “I have a favor to ask.” 하나 is the native Korean number word “one.” After 부탁, it identifies one favor: 부탁 하나, “one favor” or, naturally in this request, “a favor.” This is a noun-modifying use of 하나, not an English-style indefinite article. 해도 될까요? uses 하다 (“to do”) in the form 해도 plus 되다 (“to be permitted or okay”) in the question form 될까요?. Together, -아/어도 되다 asks whether an action is allowed or acceptable, and -ㄹ까요? makes the question polite and tentative. 해도 comes from 하다 combining with -여도 and contracting to 해도; 될까요 is 되다 plus -ㄹ까요. Example: 여기 앉아도 될까요? — “May I sit here?” Together, 잠깐 부탁 하나 presents one favor as brief, and 해도 될까요? asks whether it is okay for the speaker to make that request. The complete intended meaning is “Could you do me a quick favor?” The Korean wording literally frames this as asking permission to make one request, while the fixed English translation gives the natural meaning.

2. 뭐가 필요하세요?

   What do you need?

   뭐가

   what

   필요하세요?

   do you need?

   More detail

   뭐가 means “what” as the subject of the question. 뭐 is the conversational form of 무엇 (“what”), and 가 marks it as the subject. Here, the question asks what is needed, rather than marking the listener as the object of a verb. For example, 뭐가 좋아요? means “What is good?” or, in a suitable context, “Which one do you like?” 필요하세요? is a polite question form of 필요하다, “to be needed” or “to be necessary.” It contains the honorific suffix -시- and the polite sentence ending -어요, which combine here in the form -세요. The honorific marking respectfully refers to the person whose need is being asked about. 필요해요? is also polite but does not include this honorific marking. 필요하다 is a descriptive predicate, so Korean expresses the idea through “be necessary/needed,” while English commonly uses “need.” Together, 뭐가 (“what,” as subject) and 필요하세요? (“is needed for you?” in polite honorific form) produce the natural meaning “What do you need?” This is a reusable polite way to ask which thing the listener needs.

3. 제가 화장실에 다녀오는 동안 제 자리 좀 지켜 주실 수 있어요?

   Can you keep my place while I use the restroom?

   제가

   I (subject)

   화장실

   restroom

   다녀오는

   going and coming back

   동안

   while; during

   제

   my

   자리

   place; spot

   좀

   please; just (softener)

   지켜

   keep; watch over

   주실 수 있어요?

   can you ...? (polite request pattern)

   More detail

   제가 is 저 (“I,” a humble first-person form) plus the subject marker -가. It identifies the speaker as the subject of the following clause. Compare 내가, which also means “I” but is the plain/casual form; 제가 is appropriate in this polite request. 화장실 means “restroom” or “toilet.” It is a noun and can be used with location particles, as in 화장실에 (“to the/in the restroom”). 다녀오는 comes from 다녀오다, “to go somewhere and come back.” The ending -는 makes an attributive form that modifies the following noun 동안: 다녀오는 동안 means “during the time I go and come back.” In this sentence, the fixed translation presents this naturally as “while I use the restroom.” 동안 means “during” or “while” and marks a period of time. The pattern 동사-(으)ㄴ/는 동안 describes what happens during the time of an action or situation; here, 다녀오는 동안 is “while [I] go and come back.” 제 is the contracted possessive form of 저의, meaning “my” in a humble, polite style. It modifies 자리, so 제 자리 means “my place.” In casual speech, 내 is the corresponding plain form. 자리 means “place,” “spot,” or “seat.” In this utterance, it refers to the speaker’s position that should be kept while the speaker is away. Example: 여기에 자리 있어요. — “There is a place here.” 좀 literally has meanings such as “a little,” but in this request it softens the tone, similar to “please” or “just.” It does not assert a measurable amount here. For example, 잠깐 기다려 주세요. is “Please wait briefly,” while 좀 기다려 주세요. is a softer request to wait. 지켜 is the connective form of 지키다, “to keep,” “guard,” or “watch over.” Here it means keeping the speaker’s place rather than physically watching an object. The form 지켜 connects to the auxiliary 주다 in 지켜 주다, a pattern meaning “do something as a favor for someone.” 주실 수 있어요? is a polite ability/request pattern. In 지켜 주실 수 있어요?, 주다 is used as the favor auxiliary, -시- marks respect toward the person being asked, and -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility. Thus 동사-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요? can ask “Can you ...?” or politely “Would you be able to ...?” Here it is not the ordinary lexical meaning “give.” Together, 제가 화장실에 다녀오는 동안 sets the time period: “while I go to the restroom and come back.” 제 자리 좀 지켜 asks the listener to keep the speaker’s place as a favor, and 주실 수 있어요? turns that into a respectful request. The whole utterance means, “Can you please keep my place while I use the restroom?”

4. 네, 그렇게 할게요. 하지만 줄이 움직이기 시작하면 빨리 돌아와 주세요.

   I can, but please come back quickly if the line starts moving.

   네

   yes

   그렇게 할게요

   I’ll do that

   하지만

   but

   줄

   line; queue

   움직이기 시작하면

   if it starts moving

   빨리

   quickly

   돌아와 주세요

   please come back

   More detail

   네 means “yes” and confirms the response. It is a common polite affirmative, useful by itself in answers. 그렇게 할게요 means “I’ll do that.” 그렇게 means “that way” or “like that,” while 할게요 is the polite form of 하다 (“to do”) with -ㄹ게요. This ending commonly presents the speaker’s willing decision or promise in response to the situation: 제가 할게요 means “I’ll do it.” 하지만 means “but” or “however.” It introduces a contrast with what came immediately before it. 줄 means “line” or “queue.” In this utterance it is the noun whose movement matters. A useful related expression is 줄을 서다, “to stand in line.” 움직이기 시작하면 means “if/when [it] starts moving.” The base verb is 움직이다, “to move.” In 움직이기, -기 turns the verb into an activity or event (“moving”); 시작하다 means “to start,” and 시작하면 combines 시작하다 with -면, which expresses a condition such as “if” or “when.” Thus 줄이 움직이기 시작하면 is “if the line starts moving.” 빨리 means “quickly” or “soon/in a hurry,” depending on context. Here it describes the requested speed of returning. 돌아와 주세요 means “please come back.” The base verb is 돌아오다, “to return” or “to come back”; its form here is 돌아와. -아/어 주세요 makes a polite request for someone to do the action, so 돌아와 주세요 is a reusable pattern meaning “please come back.” Putting the parts together: 네, 그렇게 할게요 is “Yes, I’ll do that.” 하지만 then introduces the condition 줄이 움직이기 시작하면 (“if the line starts moving”), followed by the request 빨리 돌아와 주세요 (“please come back quickly”). The complete meaning is: “I can, but please come back quickly if the line starts moving.”

5. 금방 돌아올게요.

   I'll be right back.

   금방

   right away; soon

   돌아올게요

   I’ll come back

   More detail

   금방 means “soon” or “right away” here. It is an adverb, so it modifies the following action and makes the return sound soon. For example, 금방 갈게요 means “I’ll go soon.” 돌아올게요 means “I’ll come back.” Its base form is 돌아오다 (“to come back”): 돌아오- + -ㄹ게요 becomes 돌아올게요. The ending -ㄹ게요 presents the speaker’s intention or promise to do something, often with the listener in mind. It is not simply a neutral future tense. For example, 제가 도와드릴게요 means “I’ll help you,” expressing the speaker’s offer or commitment. Together, 금방 + 돌아올게요 means “I’ll be right back.” The speaker commits to returning soon; 금방 supplies the short time interval, while 돌아올게요 supplies the return action and the speaker’s intention.

6. 줄이 움직이면 제가 앞으로 가서 자리를 지켜 드릴게요.

   If the line moves, I'll move forward and keep your place.

   줄이

   the line

   움직이면

   if it moves

   제가

   I

   앞으로

   forward

   가서

   go and

   자리

   place; spot

   지켜 드릴게요

   I’ll keep it for you

   More detail

   줄이 means “the line.” 줄 is the noun for a line or queue, and -이 marks it as the subject here. The same noun can refer to a line in other senses, such as a drawn line, depending on context. 움직이면 means “if it moves.” Its base verb is 움직이다, “to move.” The ending -면 forms a condition: A-면 B means “if/when A, B.” Thus 줄이 움직이면 sets the condition that the queue moves. The context supports this conditional reading, not a claim that the line has already moved. 제가 means “I” as the subject. 저 is the humble form of “I,” and -가 marks the subject. The form 제가 is used when the speaker is the one who will perform the action; it is different from topic-marked 저는, “as for me.” 앞으로 means “forward” or “toward the front.” 앞 means “front,” and -으로 marks direction. In this sentence it describes the direction of going, rather than identifying a separate destination. 가서 means “go and then.” Its base verb is 가다, “to go,” and -아서/-어서 links it to the next action. 가서 presents going forward as the action that leads into keeping the place: “go forward and keep it.” 자리 means “place” or “spot.” In 자리를 지키다, it refers to someone’s place in a queue or another position that should be kept. The object marker -를 is attached in the full phrase 자리를 지켜 드릴게요. 지켜 드릴게요 means “I’ll keep it for you.” 지키다 means “to keep, guard, or hold,” and in this context 자리를 지키다 is the reusable expression “keep/hold a place.” 드리다 is the humble benefactive verb used when the speaker does something for someone, so 지켜 드리다 means “keep it for you” politely and deferentially. -ㄹ게요 expresses the speaker’s intention or promise to do it: 할게요 means “I’ll do it.” It is not the same as a simple prediction. Together, 줄이 움직이면 gives the condition “if the line moves.” 제가 앞으로 가서 says that the speaker will go forward, and 자리를 지켜 드릴게요 says that the speaker will hold the listener’s place for them. The whole utterance is therefore: “If the line moves, I’ll move forward and keep your place.”

7. 고마워요. 서둘러서 곧바로 돌아올게요.

   Thanks. I'll hurry and come straight back.

   고마워요

   Thanks.

   서둘러서

   hurry and

   곧바로

   straightaway

   돌아올게요

   I’ll come back.

   More detail

   고마워요 is a polite way to say “Thanks” or “Thank you.” It comes from 고맙다 (“to be thankful”); the polite form changes to 고마워요. 고마워 is a less formal version, while 고맙습니다 is more formal. 서둘러서 comes from 서두르다, “to hurry.” The form 서둘러서 uses the connective ending -아서/어서, linking this action to what follows. Here it presents hurrying as the manner or preceding action for returning: “hurry and then return” or “return by hurrying.” Example: 서둘러서 준비했어요. — “I prepared in a hurry.” 곧바로 is an adverb meaning “straightaway” or “directly.” It modifies the following action, so the return is immediate or direct rather than delayed or diverted. Example: 곧바로 집에 갔어요. — “I went straight home.” 돌아올게요 is built from 돌아오다, “to come back,” plus -ㄹ게요. The ending marks the speaker’s intention or commitment to do something, often as a promise or assurance to the listener. Thus 돌아올게요 means “I’ll come back,” not merely a neutral prediction. Example: 금방 돌아올게요. — “I’ll be back soon.” Together, 서둘러서 곧바로 돌아올게요 means “I’ll hurry and come straight back”: the speaker commits to returning, says that they will do so quickly, and emphasizes a direct return. With 고마워요 at the beginning, the whole utterance is: “Thanks. I’ll hurry and come straight back.”