죄송한데요 / 실례지만 뜻: Polite Korean That Sounds Natural
Master 죄송한데요 & 실례지만 with real chat examples, tone ladders, and quick drills to sound polite at work and online—learn
Practical polite Korean for work + chat: say it naturally without sounding too stiff.
Last week in a KakaoTalk work group chat, I watched a junior teammate ask for a quick change with 죄송한데요joesonghandeyo—and the room stayed friendly instead of tense. Five minutes later, someone DM’d me a screenshot from a cafe: a customer starting with 실례지만silryejiman before asking to swap seats. Same vibe: polite, non-pushy, and very “Korean-natural” in spoken messages.
Quick cheat sheet
Expressions in this post
Quick meaning
A spoken/chatty “sorry to bother you” opener that makes the next sentence feel lighter.
Nuance (how it feels)
It’s polite, but also practical: you’re signaling “I know I’m taking your time” without turning the message into a long apology. In team chats, it often reads as considerate rather than guilty.
Common trap (misunderstanding)
Learners sometimes use it like a full apology and then keep apologizing in the same message. That can sound heavy, like you did something wrong, when you really just want to request something small.
Tone ladder (risky → safer)
지금 해주세요.jigeum haejuseyo.지금 해주실 수 있어요?jigeum haejusil su isseoyo?죄송한데요, 지금 해주실 수 있을까요?joesonghandeyo, jigeum haejusil su isseulkkayo?죄송한데요, 가능하실 때 확인 부탁드려도 될까요?joesonghandeyo, ganeunghasil ttae hwagin butakdeuryeodo doelkkayo?
Minimal pairs (A vs B)
- A:
죄송한데요, 지금 잠깐 가능하세요?joesonghandeyo, jigeum jamkkan ganeunghaseyo? — softer, acknowledges the other person - B:
지금 잠깐 가능하세요?jigeum jamkkan ganeunghaseyo? — fine, but can feel abrupt in work chats
Examples (chat)
죄송한데요, 이거 오늘까지 가능하실까요?joesonghandeyo, igeo oneulkkaji ganeunghasilkkayo? — Sorry, but could this be possible by today?죄송한데요, 방금 파일 링크 다시 한 번만 보내주실 수 있어요?joesonghandeyo, banggeum pail ringkeu dasi han beonman bonaejusil su isseoyo? — Sorry, but could you send the file link one more time?죄송한데요, 제가 이해한 게 맞는지 확인 부탁드려도 될까요?joesonghandeyo, jega ihaehan ge matneunji hwagin butakdeuryeodo doelkkayo? — Sorry, but may I ask you to confirm if I understood correctly?
Quick meaning
A polite “excuse me” that asks for permission to interrupt, ask, or bring something up.
Nuance (how it feels)
실례지만silryejiman feels a touch more formal than 죄송한데요joesonghandeyo, and it’s great when you’re about to intrude: starting a DM, stopping someone in person, or asking a stranger for help. In chats, it can also be a clean way to start a request to someone senior without sounding dramatic.
Common trap (misunderstanding)
If you use 실례지만silryejiman for tiny, casual favors with close friends, it can sound oddly stiff or like you’re creating distance. In that case, 잠깐만jamkkanman or nothing at all is often more natural.
Tone ladder (risky → safer)
이거 뭐예요?igeo mwoyeyo?이거 뭐예요? 좀 알려줘.igeo mwoyeyo? jom alryeojwo.실례지만, 이거 뭐인지 여쭤봐도 될까요?silryejiman, igeo mwoinji yeojjwobwado doelkkayo?실례지만, 괜찮으실 때 이 부분만 잠깐 설명 부탁드려도 될까요?silryejiman, gwaenchanheusil ttae i bubunman jamkkan seolmyeong butakdeuryeodo doelkkayo?
Minimal pairs (A vs B)
- A:
실례지만, 지금 잠깐 여쭤봐도 될까요?silryejiman, jigeum jamkkan yeojjwobwado doelkkayo? — polite interruption / permission-first - B:
지금 잠깐 여쭤볼게요.jigeum jamkkan yeojjwobolgeyo. — more assertive; can feel pushy to seniors
Examples (chat)
실례지만, 혹시 담당자분 성함이 어떻게 되세요?silryejiman, hoksi damdangjabun seonghami eotteotge doeseyo? — Excuse me, may I ask your name (as the person in charge)?실례지만, 지금 전화 가능하실까요?silryejiman, jigeum jeonhwa ganeunghasilkkayo? — Excuse me, could you take a call now?실례지만, 이 일정 변경 가능할지 여쭤봐도 될까요?silryejiman, i iljeong byeongyeong ganeunghalji yeojjwobwado doelkkayo? — Excuse me, may I ask if changing this schedule is possible?
Copy/paste mini-dialogues (with EN)
Mini quiz (2 minutes)
Notes:
- Q1:
실례지만silryejiman fits a stranger/permission-to-ask situation;죄송한데요joesonghandeyo would feel like you already caused trouble.
Next steps
- Rewrite drill: Turn these into softer work-chat Korean by adding either
죄송한데요joesonghandeyo or실례지만silryejiman (choose one each):지금 확인해주세요.jigeum hwaginhaejuseyo. /담당자 누구예요?damdangja nuguyeyo? /파일 다시 보내요.pail dasi bonaeyo. - Listening prompt: In a drama episode, catch one scene where someone interrupts a senior; note whether you hear
실례지만silryejiman or죄송한데요joesonghandeyo, and what request follows. - Chat habit: Before sending a request in a group chat, try adding one “permission” or “consideration” phrase, then keep the rest short and clear.
