How to say A LITTLE in Korean

The Korean word of the week is 좀 (jom), which means “a little, a bit, some.” JOM is the shortened version of 조금 (JOGEUM).

Example phrases using 좀 (jom):

• 좀 있다가 전화할께요.
  Jom itdaga junhwa halggeyo.
  I’ll call you a little later.
  (formal)
   
• 이것 좀 먹어 봐! 진짜 맛있어!
  Egut jom muguh bwa! Jinjja mashissuh!
  Try some of this! It’s really delicious!
  (informal)
   
• 좀 싱겁다. 소금 좀 넣어.
  Jom shingubda. Sogeum jom nuhuh.
  It’s a little bland. Put in a little salt.
  (informal) 
   
• 좀 더 기다려 주세요.
  Jom duh geedaryuh juseyo.
  Please wait a little more.
  (formal)
   
• 좀 서둘러야돼요.
  Jom suhdooluhya dweyo.
  We have to hurry a bit.
  (formal)

Did your friend order something delicious at the restaurant and you want to have a bite? Ask them…

좀 먹어 봐도 돼?
Jom muguh bwado dwe?
Can I eat some?
(informal)

Busy doing something? Simply reply:

좀 있다가.
Jom itdaga.
A little later.
(informal)

Add a 요 (yo) at the previous statement to make it formal:

좀 있다가요.
Jom itdagayo.
A little later.

Here are example conversations that use 좀 (jom):

미나야, 숙제 언제 할거야?
Minaya, sukje unje halguhya?
Mina, when are you going to do homework?
(informal)

좀 있다가요. 좀 쉬구요.
Jom itdagayo. Jom shweeguyo.
A little later. After I rest a bit.
(formal)

우리 밥 언제 먹어?
Oori bap unje muguh?
When are we going to eat?
(informal)

좀 있다가. 여섯시 어때?
Jom itdaga. Yuhsusshi uhddae?
A little later. How does 6 o’clock sound?
(informal)

Here are some super simple phrases that you can use on daily basis:

• 좀 걷자.
  Jom gutja.
  Let’s walk a little.
  (informal)
   
• 좀 쉬자.
  Jom shweeja.
  Let’s rest a little.
  (informal)
   
• 좀 먹자.
  Jom mukja.
  Let’s eat a little.
  (informal)
   
• 좀 자자.
  Jom jaja.
  Let’s sleep a little.
  (informal)
   
• 좀 있다봐!
  Jom itdabwa!
  See you a little later!

Here are some phrases you might hear in a Korean drama:

• 난 좀 달라.
  Nan jom dallah.
  I’m a little different.
  (informal)
   
• 나도 좀 살자.
  Nado jom salja.
  Just let me live a little.
  (informal)
   

Here's a Kpop music video using the previous phrase!

• 왜 그래? 말 좀 해봐.
  Wae geurae? Mal jom haebwa.
  What’s wrong? Say a little something.
  (informal)
   
• 좀 비켜 줄래?
  Jom beekyuh joolae?
  Can you move out of the way?
  (informal)
   
• 벌써 또 나가? 아~ 좀 쉬자.
  Bulssuh ddo naga? Ah~ Jom shweeja.
  Are we going back out again? Ah, let’s rest a little.
  (informal)

Have you been home ALL DAY LONG? Or feeling frustrated about something? Maybe you need to blow off some steam. Go get a little fresh air.

• 바람 좀 쐐자.
  Baram jom sswaeja.
  Let’s get some fresh air.
  (informal)
   
• 바람이나 좀 쐐.
  Baramena jom sswae.
  Go get some fresh air.
  (informal)
   
• 바람 좀 쐘가?
  Baram jom sswaelgga?
  Shall we get some fresh air?
  (informal)

I love these fresh air phrases. Growing up, adults in my family would use these phrases often. If they want to go out for a walk after dinner as a light exercise, they’d invite me by asking: 바람 좀 쐘가?

Surprise! JOM can also mean “please” in certain situations. Here are some examples:

• 핸드폰 좀 꺼주시겠어요?
  Hendeupon jom gguhjushi gessuhyo?
  Would you please turn off your cell phone?
  (formal)
   
• 차 좀 빼주실래요?
  Cha jom bbaejulshillaeyo?
  Would you please move your car out?
  (formal)

Now that you know the word 좀 (jom), I will teach you a bonus word: 좀비 (jombie)! 좀비 means “zombie.” In Korea, there is no Z consonant, so we use the J consonant instead. Thus "jombie" instead of "zombie."

Attention Kpop fans! Here are some of your fave celebs using the word 좀 (jom) in the following music videos. Can you find where SHINee sings 좀?

What?! Girls' Generation also uses 좀 in their song, too? You bet! Listen closely. Can you find where?

Hope you enjoyed this lesson! See you next week on my YouTube channel.