Giving and Receiving with '주다' & '드리다'

01

The Standard Verb: 주다 (chu·da)

주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta) is the basic verb for "to give." You use this word in two specific situations:

• When you give something to someone of equal or lower status (like a friend or a younger sibling).
• When someone (regardless of status) gives something to you.

When asking for something for yourself, you always use 주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta) (often in the polite form 주세요 (chu·se·yoju·se·yochu·se·yocu·sey·yo)), because the action is directed towards you.

• 친구에게 사과를 줘요.

  chʰin·gu·e·ge sa·gwa·rŭl jwo·yo.chin·gu·e·ge sa·gwa·reul jwo·yo.ch'in·gu·e·ge sa·gwa·rŭl jwŏ·yo.chin·ku·ey·key sa·kwa·lul cwe·yo.

  I give an apple to a friend.

• 밥을 주세요.

  pab·ŭl ju·se·yo.bab·eul ju·se·yo.pab·ŭl ju·se·yo.pab·ul cu·sey·yo.

  Please give me rice / food.

• 엄마가 저에게 돈을 줬어요.

  ŏm·ma·ga jŏ·e·ge don·ŭl jwoss·ŏ·yo.eom·ma·ga jeo·e·ge don·eul jwoss·eo·yo.ŏm·ma·ga jŏ·e·ge don·ŭl jwŏss·ŏ·yo.em·ma·ka ce·ey·key ton·ul cwess·e·yo.

  Mom gave me money.

02

The Humble Verb: 드리다 (tŭ·ri·da)

드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta) is the humble version of "to give." It is used exclusively when the giver is "lowering" themselves to honor the recipient. You use this when you give something to someone of higher status (like a teacher, boss, or grandparent) or a customer.

Because 드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta) implies honoring the recipient, you never use it when the recipient is yourself. You cannot "humbly give" to yourself.

• 선생님께 선물을 드려요.

  sŏn·sæng·nim·kke sŏn·mur·ŭl dŭ·ryŏ·yo.seon·saeng·nim·gge seon·mur·eul deu·ryeo·yo.sŏn·saeng·nim·kke sŏn·mur·ŭl dŭ·ryŏ·yo.sen·sayng·nim·kkey sen·mur·ul tu·lye·yo.

  I give a gift to the teacher.

• 할머니께 물을 드렸어요.

  hal·mŏ·ni·kke mur·ŭl dŭ·ryŏss·ŏ·yo.hal·meo·ni·gge mur·eul deu·ryeoss·eo·yo.hal·mŏ·ni·kke mur·ŭl dŭ·ryŏss·ŏ·yo.hal·me·ni·kkey mur·ul tu·lyess·e·yo.

  I gave water to grandmother.

• 메뉴를 드릴까요?

  me·nyu·rŭl dŭ·ril·kka·yo?me·nyu·reul deu·ril·gga·yo?me·nyu·rŭl dŭ·ril·kka·yo?mey·nyu·lul tu·lil·kka·yo?

  Shall I give you the menu?

03

Doing Favors: Auxiliary Verbs

주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta) and 드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta), the basic and the humble verbs for "to give", are also used as auxiliary verbs attached to other action verbs to express "doing something for someone." The structure is Verb Stem + ~아/어 (~a/ŏ~a/eo~a/ŏ~a/e) + 주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta) or 드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta).

If you do a favor for a friend or ask someone to do a favor for you, use ~아/어 주다 (~a/ŏ ju·da~a/eo ju·da~a/ŏ ju·da~a/e cu·ta).

• 이것을 읽어 주세요.

  i·gŏs·ŭl ilg·ŏ ju·se·yo.i·geos·eul ilg·eo ju·se·yo.i·gŏs·ŭl ilg·ŏ ju·se·yo.i·kes·ul ilg·e cu·sey·yo.

  Please read this (for me).

• 친구가 숙제를 도와 줬어요.

  chʰin·gu·ga suk·je·rŭl do·wa jwoss·ŏ·yo.chin·gu·ga suk·je·reul do·wa jwoss·eo·yo.ch'in·gu·ga suk·je·rŭl do·wa jwŏss·ŏ·yo.chin·ku·ka suk·cey·lul to·wa cwess·e·yo.

  My friend helped with homework (for me).

If you do a favor for someone of higher status, use ~아/어 드리다 (~a/ŏ dŭ·ri·da~a/eo deu·ri·da~a/ŏ dŭ·ri·da~a/e tu·li·ta).

• 제가 도와 드릴게요.

  che·ga do·wa dŭ·ril·ge·yo.je·ga do·wa deu·ril·ge·yo.che·ga do·wa dŭ·ril·ge·yo.cey·ka to·wa tu·lil·key·yo.

  I will help you (humble).

• 문을 열어 드렸어요.

  mun·ŭl yŏr·ŏ dŭ·ryŏss·ŏ·yo.mun·eul yeor·eo deu·ryeoss·eo·yo.mun·ŭl yŏr·ŏ dŭ·ryŏss·ŏ·yo.mun·ul yer·e tu·lyess·e·yo.

  I opened the door (for him/her).

04

Summary of Direction

To ensure you pick the right verb for "to give" — the basic 주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta) or the humble 드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta) — look at the direction of the action:

• Me → You (Higher Status): Use 드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta).
• Me → You (Equal/Lower Status): Use 주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta).
• You (Any Status) → Me: Use 주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta) (never 드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta)).

Note: If a higher-status person gives to you, you still use 주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta), but you add the honorific infix -(으)시 (-(ŭ)si-(eu)si-(ŭ)si-(u)si) to the verb to honor the subject (the giver), resulting in 주시다 (chu·si·daju·si·dachu·si·dacu·si·ta).

• 아버지가 책을 주셨어요.

  a·bŏ·ji·ga chʰæg·ŭl ju·syŏss·ŏ·yo.a·beo·ji·ga chaeg·eul ju·syeoss·eo·yo.a·bŏ·ji·ga ch'aeg·ŭl ju·syŏss·ŏ·yo.a·pe·ci·ka chayg·ul cu·syess·e·yo.

  Father gave me a book.