깎아 주실 수 있어요?

When to use

Use this when you want to ask for a lower price, typically in informal market settings or with smaller vendors where bargaining is acceptable. It's less common in department stores or chain shops.

How it works

This is a polite request form built on '깎다' (to cut/discount) + '-아 주다' (to do for someone) + '-실 수 있다' (can you). The full construction asks 'Can you do [discounting] for me?'. The subject 'you' (the seller) is omitted.

• 깎아 주다: to give a discount (깎다 'to cut/discount' + -아 주다 'to do for someone')
• -(으)실 수 있다: can do (honorific form of -ㄹ 수 있다 'can do', with -으시- honorific infix for the subject, the seller)
• -어요?: polite question ending

Speech Level

The '-어요' ending combined with the honorific '-시-' makes this a very polite and respectful request suitable for addressing a seller you don't know well, especially when asking for a favor.

Pronunciation

The final consonant 'ㄲ' in '깎-' undergoes liaison with the initial vowel '아' of '-아 주다', making it sound like [까까] (kkakka). The 'ㄹ' in '주실' is pronounced clearly as a final consonant, as '수' begins with a consonant.

Notes

A common phrase used in traditional markets or smaller shops to politely negotiate prices.