Key Facts
- Hangul: 조금; Revised Romanization: jogeum
- Part of speech: adverb
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral. Casual shortened form is 좀.
A Little in Korean: What Does 조금 Mean?
조금 is an adverb meaning "a little" or "a bit". It is neutral in tone, so it works with a shopkeeper and with a friend. In fast casual speech people shorten it to 좀, which is also used to soften requests. Notice where it sits in every example below: directly before the verb, or before 더 ("more") when you want an extra helping.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Say it in two beats: jo-geum. The second syllable has the unrounded vowel ㅡ: spread the lips slightly and keep the tongue high, a sound English does not have on its own. The ㄱ between vowels is voiced, close to a soft g, and the word closes on an m with the lips together.
Example Sentences with 조금
조금 기다려 주세요.
Jogeum gidaryeo juseyo.
Please wait a little.
A polite request. 조금 comes straight before 기다려, and 주세요 turns the verb into "please do this for me".
한국어를 조금 해요.
Hangugeoreul jogeum haeyo.
I speak a little Korean.
A modest way to describe your level. The object 한국어를 comes first, then 조금, then the verb 해요.
조금 더 주세요.
Jogeum deo juseyo.
Please give me a little more.
Here 조금 pairs with 더, so the sentence asks for a little more of something already on the table.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Each partner changes the meaning in a different direction. 조금만 limits the amount (the 만 means "only"), 조금 전에 points back in time, and 조금씩 describes change that happens in small steps.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 조금만 | just a little |
| 조금 전에 | a little while ago |
| 조금씩 | little by little |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 조금씩 주세요. (meant as "Just a little, please.")
Correct: ✓ 조금만 주세요.
Why: 조금 is an amount ("a little"). 조금씩 adds 씩, which spreads the action over repeated turns, so it means "little by little" or "a little each". Saying 조금씩 when you only want a small portion makes the listener expect several small servings.
조금 Compared with 좀 and 약간 and 많이
Three neighbours sit close to 조금. 좀 is the spoken shortening, 약간 is a little more formal, and 많이 is the opposite end of the scale.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 조금 | a little | This page's word |
| 좀 | a little (casual) | Spoken shortened form. |
| 약간 | slightly | Slightly formal. |
| 많이 | a lot | Opposite. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
조금 is a native Korean word, so it has no hanja behind it. Its short form 좀 is so common that it also works as a softener: in 조금 기다려 주세요, the casual version 좀 기다려 주세요 would sound just as polite.
At a Café: a Little More Sugar
A customer is adjusting a drink at a café. The conversation moves from “more” to “only a little” and then to “a little sweeter”.
Customer
설탕을 조금 더 주세요.
Seoltangeul jogeum deo juseyo.
Please give me a little more sugar.
Staff
얼마나 드릴까요?
Eolmana deurilkkayo?
How much would you like?
Customer
조금만 주세요.
Jogeumman juseyo.
Just a little, please.
Staff
네. 조금 더 달게 해 드릴게요.
Ne. Jogeum deo dalge hae deurilgeyo.
Okay. I’ll make it a little sweeter.
조금 더 asks for an increase, while 조금만 limits the amount. In the final line, 조금 describes a degree of sweetness rather than an amount of sugar. It can modify a description as well as an action.
Small Amounts, Short Waits and Mild Descriptions
조금 does not name a fixed measurement. At a table it can refer to a small serving; with 기다리다, “wait”, it refers to a short time. The listener uses the situation to judge the scale. For an exact quantity, give a number or measurement instead.
조금 더 means “a little more”. 조금만 means “only a little”, and 조금만 더 combines both ideas: “just a little more”. The last phrase is useful when someone is nearly finished pouring or when you need a little extra time. 더 increases the amount; 만 limits that increase.
조금 전에 means “a little while ago”, while 조금 있다가 means “in a little while”. The first looks backward and the second forward. These are ordinary time expressions, so their meaning goes beyond a literal quantity of an object.
With a description such as 맵다, “be spicy”, 조금 reduces the degree: 조금 매워요 means “It’s a little spicy”. It still describes some spiciness. In contrast, 조금 더 매워요 means “It’s a little spicier”, comparing it with something else.
Where Will You Hear 조금 and 좀?
At a counter, 조금 기다려 주세요 asks for a short wait. During a meal, 조금 더 주세요 asks for another small amount. In conversation about language ability, 한국어를 조금 해요 is a modest way to say you speak some Korean, without naming a proficiency level.
좀 is common even in polite speech. The sentence ending and tone carry much of the politeness, so using 좀 does not automatically make a request casual or rude. In a request, 좀 may mainly soften what you ask rather than specify a small quantity. 조금 keeps the small-amount meaning clearer.
Related Quantity Words
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 더 | more | Adds to an existing amount or degree. |
| 덜 | less | Reduces an amount or degree. |
| 많이 | a lot | Contrasts with a small amount. |
| 조금씩 | little by little / a little each | Distributes the amount across steps or recipients. |
The quantity words lesson groups the words used to adjust amounts and degrees.
Quick Self-Test
- Which asks for a limited amount: 조금만 or 조금 더?
- Does 조금 전에 point to the past or the future?
- Does 좀 automatically make a sentence impolite?
Show answers
- 조금만. 조금 더 asks for an increase.
- The past: a little while ago.
- No. A polite ending can accompany 좀.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "a little" in Korean?
Say 조금 (jogeum). It is an adverb and goes before the verb, as in 한국어를 조금 해요 ("I speak a little Korean").
Is 좀 the same word as 조금?
Yes in meaning. 좀 is the casual, shortened form heard in speech, while 조금 is the neutral full form.
What is the difference between 조금 and 조금씩?
조금 is "a little" as an amount. 조금씩 means "little by little", describing something that happens in small steps.
What is the opposite of 조금?
The opposite is 많이, meaning "a lot", as in a reply to how much Korean you speak.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Descriptions and quantity words groups 조금 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 조금 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list is the adverb for quickly. See the page for quickly.