# 잘 부탁 드리겠습니다



## tare panda

"잘 부탁 드리겠습니다"

This is a hard sentence for me to figure out. I know "부탁" means "favor" (as in to 'ask a favor' / 부탁 있다). But I've heard "잘 부탁 드리겠습니다" in at least two specific professional situations. I'd appreciate some help in figuring this expression out. ^^

*Situation 1*: I heard this expression when I first started working in Korea. I was going around my department introducing myself to the higher-ups. After bowing (or shaking hands) and exchanging names and such, the director or partner to whom I introduced myself often said to me, "잘 부탁 드리겠습니다." I remember being confused because it seemed odd that the more senior employee was using this expression to me, the newer, more junior employee.

- What does "잘 부탁 드리겠습니다" mean in this context? 
- What's the appropriate response? 
- Is this something that either person can say? For example, is this an expression I could say to the higher up after introducing myself? 

*Situation 2: *I was at a client's office with my coworkers. We made our introductions, exchanged business cards and such, and the phrase, "잘 부탁 드리겠습니다" came up. I remember, this was more interchangeable--as in my coworkers said it to the client, and the clients said it to us. 

In this situation, I get the sense the meaning is something like, "I look forward to working with you" (or collaborating with you).


Thanks in advance for any response


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## terredepomme

It's just a fixed expression, you don't need to take it to literally.And I understand that it can be hard for you to understand, since it has no equivalent in English.(Just as some English expressions such as "you're welcome" don't have equivalents in Korean...)The idea is you ask(부탁) the person to take good care of you, to welcome you in their circle, to be favorable towards you.So yes, it would be close to "I look forward to working with you," but it's more like asking a favor, so its nuance would be less "self-confident" and more "polite."You have to understand that the notion of politeness in East Asia is more about lowering oneself, being humble, etc.I hope this helps.


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## tare panda

terredepomme said:


> The idea is you ask(부탁) the person to take good care of you, to welcome you in their circle, to be favorable towards you.So yes, it would be close to "I look forward to working with you," but it's more like asking a favor, so its nuance would be less "self-confident" and more "polite."You have to understand that the notion of politeness in East Asia is more about lowering oneself, being humble, etc.I hope this helps.



Thanks for the explanation, it helps!


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## Superhero1

The appropriate response in situation 1 is '저도 잘 부탁 드립니다.' and you can say this expression to your boss or higher ups after introducing yourself.

when you meet someone first and by the end of the conversation, you can say '잘 부탁 드리겠습니다' in a VERY FORMAL way. Its response is always '저도 잘 부탁 드리겠습니다.' or '저도 잘 부탁 드립니다.' 

I think '잘 부탁 드리겠습니다' has a meaning of asking for,(부탁) although it is an idiomatic expression.

In situation1, it means that let's be favorable and understand each other even if there will be a minor mistake.
In situation2, it means, as you mention above, 'I look forward woking with you' and 'please treat my work with great care'.


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## tare panda

Thank you for your response, Superhero1. Very helpful


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