천천히요
Slowly, Please
The magic phrase that gives you breathing room in Korean
📢 Cheon · cheon · hi · yo천천히요 (Cheoncheonhiyo) is a polite Korean expression meaning “Please speak/go slowly” or “Take your time” — one of the most practically useful phrases you’ll ever learn as a Korean learner, letting you ask anyone to slow down so you can keep up.
On the surface, 천천히요 (Cheoncheonhiyo) simply means “slowly, please.” But the magic is in how broadly Koreans use it. This one little phrase covers everything from “Please speak more slowly — I’m still learning Korean,” to “Don’t rush — take all the time you need,” to “Drive carefully and slow down a little!”
The word 천천히 (cheoncheonhi) is an adverb meaning “slowly” or “gently.” It carries a soothing, patient quality to it — there’s no urgency, no frustration implied. When you tack on 요 (yo), it becomes politely softened, suitable for strangers, shopkeepers, teachers, and anyone you’d show basic respect to.
There’s also a lovely cultural dimension here. In Korean society, being told to slow down is rarely taken as an insult. Rather, it signals that you’re thoughtful, considerate, and present in the moment. You’ll hear it used between close friends, between parents and children, between colleagues — not just between learners and native speakers. It’s a phrase that belongs to everyday life, not just the language classroom.
“slow, slow”
(base meaning)
(like “-ly”
in English)
(adds respect
and softness)
(polite adverb)
Grammatically, 천천히요 is an adverb + politeness particle combination. It’s not a full verb sentence on its own — it’s more like a polite adverbial phrase that implies a request. The full version might be 천천히 말해 주세요 (Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo) — “Please speak slowly” — but Koreans shorten it to just 천천히요 in casual-polite situations all the time.
Let’s look at the most common contexts where 천천히요 comes in handy:
(A little more slowly, please!)
(Sir, please slow down!)
(It’s okay, take your time.)
(Please eat slowly / Take your time eating!)
(Sorry, could you speak slowly?)
(Take it slow, don’t rush.)
천 (cheon) — rhymes with “chun” as in “chunk.” The ‘eo’ vowel sounds like the ‘u’ in “fun,” not the long ‘ee’ sound. 히 (hi) — a soft, breathy “hee.” 요 (yo) — clean, bright “yo” like “yo-yo.” The whole word flows smoothly: cheon-cheon-hi-yo.
English speakers tend to put a hard stress on one syllable. In Korean, stress is much more even. Try saying all four syllables with similar weight: CHEON-cheon-hi-yo should be closer to cheon-cheon-hi-yo (even rhythm, slight natural rise on the last 요).
Because 히 (hi) ends with a vowel-like sound and 요 (yo) starts with a vowel, the two flow together naturally. Don’t pause between them. Say it like one smooth word: cheoncheonhiyo with a soft glide from “hi” into “yo.”
In a polite request context, your voice naturally rises slightly on the final 요. This is the Korean “politeness rise” — it makes the phrase sound warm and non-demanding rather than commanding. If you flatten your pitch, it can sound a bit blunt.
The ‘eo’ in 천 is NOT the “eh” sound in “hen” or “pen.” Keep it as the darker, more central “u/eo” vowel. Practice: put your mouth in an “o” shape and say “uh” — that’s closer to the correct 천 vowel.
💬 Notice how Alex uses 천천히요? with a rising question-like tone — it’s a polite, slightly hesitant request, which is perfect for the situation. Minjun’s warm response shows how well this phrase is received.
The adverb ending is 히, not 이. While some adverbs do use 이, this particular one uses 히. Don’t drop the ㅎ (h) sound — it gives the word its characteristic breathy glide.
The reduplication 천천 is essential! Saying just 천히요 would sound incomplete and unnatural to a Korean ear. Both syllables are always kept together.
천천히 해요 literally means “do it slowly” — which can sound a bit vague or odd depending on context. When you want someone to speak slowly, specify: 천천히 말해 주세요 (Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo) or just keep it simple with 천천히요.
천천히 alone (without 요) is fine with very close friends or younger people, but can sound blunt or rude to strangers, elders, or anyone in a formal situation. When in doubt, always add 요!
While 천천히요 is a standalone phrase, here’s a full table of related forms — from casual to formal — so you know exactly which version to use in any situation:
| Form / Level | Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain adverb | 천천히 | Cheoncheonhi | Slowly (no politeness) |
| Polite short form ⭐ | 천천히요 | Cheoncheonhiyo | Slowly, please (everyday polite) |
| Polite request | 천천히 말해 주세요 | Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo | Please speak slowly |
| Formal request | 천천히 말씀해 주시겠어요? | Cheoncheonhi malssumhae jusigeseoyo? | Could you please speak slowly? (very formal) |
| Casual (friends/younger) | 천천히 해! | Cheoncheonhi hae! | Take it slow! / Do it slowly! |
| Comforting phrase | 천천히 괜찮아요 | Cheoncheonhi gwaenchanayo | It’s okay to take your time |
| Eating context | 천천히 드세요 | Cheoncheonhi deuseyo | Please eat slowly / Enjoy your meal leisurely |
| Emphatic / Stronger | 좀 더 천천히요 | Jom deo cheoncheonhiyo | A little more slowly, please |
One of the most powerful moves you can make as a Korean learner is to combine 천천히요 with a few other beginner-friendly phrases to create natural, flowing requests:
• 죄송한데, 천천히요? (Joesonghande, cheoncheonhiyo?) — “Sorry, slowly please?”
• 다시 한번, 천천히요. (Dasi hanbeon, cheoncheonhiyo.) — “One more time, slowly please.”
• 한국어를 배우고 있어요. 천천히요! (Hangugeo reul baeugo isseoyo. Cheoncheonhiyo!) — “I’m learning Korean. Slowly, please!”
• 이해가 안 돼요. 천천히요. (Ihae ga an dwaeyo. Cheoncheonhiyo.) — “I don’t understand. Slowly please.”
These combinations signal to your conversation partner exactly what’s happening and what you need — and they will almost always respond by slowing down, repeating, and often switching to simpler vocabulary too. It’s a conversation hack that makes real Korean interactions so much more manageable when you’re still building your skills.
✨ 천천히요 (Cheoncheonhiyo) — At a Glance
- 천천히요 means “slowly, please” or “take your time” — it’s a polite adverbial request formed from the adverb 천천히 (slowly) + the polite particle 요.
- Use it when someone speaks too fast, when you want someone to slow down physically, or when you want to tell someone not to rush. It works across many situations!
- Always include the 요 when speaking to strangers, elders, or in any formal situation. The 요 is what makes this phrase polite rather than blunt.
- Boost it with 좀 더 (jom deo = a little more) → 좀 더 천천히요 for situations where you need extra help, and pair it with 다시 한번 (dasi hanbeon = one more time) for language learning conversations.
- This is one of the MOST useful phrases you can memorize as a Korean learner — keep it on the tip of your tongue and use it freely. Korean speakers will appreciate your politeness and patience!