Key Facts
- Hangul: 천천히; Revised Romanization: cheoncheonhi
- Part of speech: adverb
- Origin: Native (no hanja)
- Register: Neutral. Often used politely: 천천히 하세요.
Slowly in Korean: What Does 천천히 Mean?
천천히 is a neutral adverb that describes the speed of an action. It also works as kind advice: 천천히 하세요 means "take your time", a polite phrase you will hear from hosts, shop staff and teachers.
How Do You Pronounce 천천히?
Say cheon-cheon-hi, three syllables. Each ㅓ is an open, unrounded "uh", and the ch is the aspirated ㅊ, with a puff of air. The h after the ㄴ is weak in natural speech, so the ending often sounds close to cheon-cheo-ni.
Example Sentences with 천천히
천천히 말해 주세요.
Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo.
Please speak slowly.
천천히 말해 주세요 is the most useful survival sentence for a learner. 말해 주세요 asks "please speak".
천천히 드세요.
Cheoncheonhi deuseyo.
Please eat slowly.
천천히 드세요 is a host's phrase, closer in spirit to "Take your time and enjoy your meal" than to an instruction. 드세요 is the honorific "eat", so it sounds warm and polite.
천천히 걸어요.
Cheoncheonhi georeoyo.
I walk slowly.
천천히 걸어요 describes pace. 걸어요 means "walk".
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 천천히 말하다 | to speak slowly |
| 천천히 걷다 | to walk slowly |
| 천천히 하세요 | take your time |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ using the adjective 천천하다 ("to be slow") in front of a verb
Correct: ✓ the adverb 천천히, as in 천천히 말해 주세요
Why: 천천하다 is a describing word; it cannot modify a verb directly. The ending 히 turns it into the adverb, and the weak h is why you hear cheon-cheo-ni.
천천히 Compared with Similar Words
Three words sit near it. 느리게 is an adverb built from 느리다 and describes slowness itself. 서서히 means gradually, slowly over time. 빨리 is the opposite, "quickly".
| Word | Meaning | Versus slowly |
|---|---|---|
| 천천히 | slowly | This page's word |
| 느리게 | slowly | Adverb from 느리다, describes slowness. |
| 서서히 | gradually | Slowly over time. |
| 빨리 | quickly | Opposite. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
천천히 is a native Korean adverb, so there is no hanja. It is the adverb form of 천천하다 and builds into 천천히 말하다, 천천히 걷다 and the polite 천천히 하세요.
At a Station: Asking for Slower Directions
A traveler cannot follow the directions at a station information desk. The traveler asks the staff member to slow down, then confirms the route.
Traveler
죄송하지만 천천히 말해 주세요.
Joesonghajiman cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo.
Excuse me, but please speak slowly.
Staff member
네. 여기서 오른쪽으로 가세요.
Ne. Yeogiseo oreunjjogeuro gaseyo.
Of course. Go right from here.
Traveler
오른쪽이요?
Oreunjjogiyo?
To the right?
Staff member
네, 맞아요. 천천히 가세요.
Ne, majayo. Cheoncheonhi gaseyo.
Yes, that is right. Take your time.
죄송하지만 softens the interruption: “Excuse me, but…” The traveler needs a slower pace, so 천천히 identifies exactly what should change. Repeating 오른쪽 with 이요? checks one word without making the staff member start the whole explanation again. The final 천천히 가세요 reassures the traveler that there is no need to hurry.
How Does 천천히 Change the Feeling of a Request?
천천히 말해 주세요 asks for slower speech. It does not ask the speaker to lower their voice. That distinction matters at a noisy counter: a person can speak loudly and slowly at the same time. If the pace is the problem, keep 천천히 in the request.
천천히 하세요 literally asks someone to do something slowly, but its practical meaning is often “take your time”. At a checkout, it can reassure someone searching for a card. During a lesson, it can give a learner time to finish. The action is understood from the situation, which is why 하세요 can stand without naming it again.
천천히 드세요 uses the respectful verb for eating or drinking. A host may say it to a guest who seems rushed. It invites a comfortable pace; the sentence does not promise that the food will taste good or mean that the guest must eat more.
With a close friend, 천천히 해 has the same unhurried message in casual speech. The adverb stays 천천히. The change from 해 to 하세요 belongs to the verb ending and the relationship between the speakers. Use the full polite phrase with someone you have just met.
Where Will You Hear 천천히?
A teacher giving step-by-step instructions may use 천천히 when the learner needs time to copy a movement or form a sentence. On a walk, 천천히 can describe the pace without criticizing the walker. In both situations it focuses on how an action is done.
천천히 오세요 can reassure an invited guest: “Take your time coming.” It does not mean “come later” by itself. A later appointment time needs its own time expression. Likewise, saying 천천히 while someone eats changes the pace, rather than moving the meal to another time.
느리게 and 천천히 overlap in literal descriptions of speed. However, when a computer is running slowly, the speaker is usually reporting an unwanted delay. Describing the computer as 느리다 makes that complaint clear. When you kindly invite a person to slow down, 천천히 is the useful starting point.
Pace, Repetition and Gradual Change
| Korean | Meaning | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| 빨리 | quickly | Ask for or describe a faster action. |
| 느리게 | slowly | Focus on the action's low speed. |
| 서서히 | gradually | Describe change unfolding over time. |
| 다시 | again | Ask for repetition rather than slower delivery. |
| 잠깐 | briefly; a moment | Ask for a short pause rather than a change of pace. |
The adverbs lesson explains how words like 천천히 modify actions. The adverb position lesson helps you place the pace word beside the verb it describes.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase asks a stranger to speak slowly?
- Does 천천히 오세요 set a new appointment time?
- Which word means “gradually”: 다시 or 서서히?
Show answers
- 천천히 말해 주세요.
- No. It asks them not to rush; a new time must be stated separately.
- 서서히 means gradually. 다시 means again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "slowly" in Korean?
Slowly in Korean is 천천히 (cheoncheonhi). Put it before the verb, as in 천천히 걸어요 (I walk slowly).
How do I ask someone to speak slowly?
Say 천천히 말해 주세요 (Please speak slowly). It is polite enough for strangers and is one of the most useful sentences for a learner.
What does 천천히 하세요 mean?
천천히 하세요 means "take your time" or "no rush". It is said kindly to someone who is hurrying.
What is the opposite of 천천히?
The opposite is 빨리, "quickly". 느리게 is another word for "slowly" that describes slowness itself.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: descriptions quantities vocabulary places slowly among related words.
- Index: more words after slowly are in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: save slowly in the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare with the page for quickly.