May 7, 2026 By Teacher Seoul

저기요 (Jeogiyo) · 여기요 (Yeogiyo) · 잠깐만요 (Jamkkanmanyo): Call a Waiter

저기요

jeo-gi-yo

Excuse me — the universal “hi, over here”

Seoul restaurant, busy floor, the server hasn’t seen you yet. Most beginners freeze — or whisper 잠깐만요 jam-kkan-man-yo from a phrasebook and wonder why nothing happens.

Part of the Korean Culture & Language — Words That Don't Translate series — start there if you’re new.

The important distinction: of the three “excuse me” phrases you’ll hear in Korea, two of them actually call someone over. The third just means “wait.” Mix them up and you’ll sit invisible at your table — which is a common reason tourists feel ignored in Korean restaurants.

Call the server → 저기요 / 여기요 | Ask someone to wait → 잠깐만요

Sound bridge: 여기 / 저기 share the same -gi sound English speakers already say in “piggy” — short, soft “g”. You’ve been pronouncing half this word your whole life.

How to Call a Waiter in Korean: Two Words + One Trap

저기요 is your safe default for calling someone in Korean. Restaurants, cafés, the street, even tapping a stranger’s shoulder to return a dropped scarf. If you take only one phrase from this post, take this one.

저기요, 메뉴 좀 주세요. jeo-gi-yo, me-nyu jom ju-se-yo → Excuse me, could I get a menu?

여기요 yeo-gi-yo is its restaurant-flavored cousin. Literal meaning: “here, please.” A bit more direct — you’re waving someone over to your spot. You’ll hear it everywhere when the floor is loud.

여기요! 김치 좀 더 주세요. yeo-gi-yo! Gim-chi jom deo ju-se-yo → Over here! Could we get more kimchi?

The trap — 잠깐만요: This one does not summon anyone. It means “hold on a sec.” Use it on the phone, or to pause someone mid-sentence — but it won’t bring a server to your table. Phrasebooks sometimes group it under “excuse me,” and that’s a fair translation, but pragmatically wrong for the restaurant scene. Those entries are for passing through a crowd, not flagging down food.

Quick Recall: 저기요 vs 여기요 vs 잠깐만요

Goal	Phrase	Where
Call	저기요 jeo-gi-yo	Anywhere — universal
Call (restaurant)	여기요 yeo-gi-yo	Restaurant tables, loud rooms
Wait	잠깐만요 jam-kkan-man-yo	Phone, mid-conversation — NOT for calling

Tone matters more than volume. Quick, voiced, eye contact. No need to shout — Korean servers scan the room, they don’t listen for politeness.

Tiny language fact: 저기요 literally means “over there, please.” You’re not summoning the person — you’re politely pointing at the space between you. A very Korean way to be polite while still being direct.

Try it: You want a glass of water at a restaurant. What do you say?

저기요, 물 좀 주세요. jeo-gi-yo, mul jom ju-se-yo — “Excuse me, could I get some water?”

Try 저기요 once and the rest of the menu opens up.

Watch: 3 Must-Know Expressions to Call a Server in Korean

Explore the Korean Culture & Language cluster

Hub: Korean Culture & Language — Words That Don’t Translate — start here for the full guide

Related articles:

This lesson is part of the Quick Korean series.

All Beginner lessons →

This lesson was planned, reviewed, and edited by Teacher Seoul, with AI-assisted drafting. Corrections are welcome via the Contact page.