Korean for Secondhand Pickups: Asking How Long an Item Was Used and Whether It Was Repaired
Learn polite Korean questions to ask a seller how long they used an item and whether it has been repaired, with reusable patterns for judging secondhand value.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When you meet a seller in a Korean secondhand deal, the price is only half the story. You need to know how long the item was actually used and whether it has been repaired. This lesson gives you two core polite-informal patterns: 얼마나 쓰셨어요? (How long did you use it?) and 수리한 적 있어요? (Have you ever had it repaired?). You will also learn the nouns 사용, 기간, and 수리 so you can build follow-up questions and understand the seller's answer. The focus is a face-to-face pickup conversation, not online listing vocabulary.
By the end, you can…
- ask a seller how long they used an item.
- ask whether an item has been repaired and understand a simple answer.
- use 사용, 기간, and 수리 in polite questions about an item's history.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
얼마나 쓰셨어요?
How long did you use it?
eolmana sseusyeosseoyo?
The most natural polite question for asking about the length of use. Use it for electronics, bags, or furniture.
사용 기간이 어떻게 되세요?
What is the usage period?
sayong gigan-i eotteoke doeseyo?
A slightly more formal alternative using the noun 사용 기간. Useful when you want a precise answer, such as six months or one year.
수리한 적 있어요?
Have you ever had it repaired?
surihan jeok isseoyo?
Asks about any repair history. The pattern -ㄴ 적 있어요? means 'have you ever done...?' and is perfect for experience questions.
어디를 수리했어요?
What part did you have repaired?
eodi-reul surihaesseoyo?
Follow-up after the seller says yes. 어디를 asks which part or area was repaired.
사용감은 어때요?
How is the wear and tear?
sayonggam-eun eottaeyo?
A softer way to ask about visible wear. 사용감 refers to the feeling or traces of use, not the repair history itself.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 얼마나 쓰셨어요? combines 얼마나 (how long/how much) with the honorific verb 쓰시다 (to use). The -시- honorific makes it polite without being stiff, which fits a friendly pickup meeting. You can also ask 사용 기간이 어떻게 되세요? when you want a noun-based question. For repair history, use 수리한 적 있어요? The ending -ㄴ 적 있어요? asks about past experience. If you want to ask about a specific part, say 배터리를 수리한 적 있어요? (Have you ever had the battery repaired?).
When to use it
Use these questions after greeting the seller and before discussing the final price. For example, after 안녕하세요, 물건 보러 왔어요 (Hello, I came to see the item), ask 얼마나 쓰셨어요? Then follow with 수리한 적 있어요? If the seller answers 네, 한 번 수리했어요 (Yes, I had it repaired once), you can ask 어디를 수리했어요? Keep your tone polite: use -요 endings, not plain 반말, because you are meeting a stranger. If the seller is older or the deal feels formal, switch to 사용 기간이 어떻게 되세요? and 수리하신 적 있으세요?
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
안녕하세요, 이 노트북 아직 있나요?
Hello, is this laptop still available?annyeonghaseyo, i noteubuk ajik innayo?네, 있어요. 직접 보러 오셨네요.
Yes, it is. You came to see it in person.ne, isseoyo. jikjeop boreo osyeonneyo.얼마나 쓰셨어요? 그리고 수리한 적 있어요?
How long did you use it? And have you ever had it repaired?eolmana sseusyeosseoyo? geurigo surihan jeok isseoyo?1년 정도 썼고, 수리는 한 번도 안 했어요.
I used it for about a year, and I have never had it repaired.il-nyeon jeongdo sseotgo, suri-neun han beon-do an haesseoyo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean secondhand pickups, sellers often expect direct questions about use and repairs because these affect value. Still, soften your tone with -요 endings and avoid sounding like an interrogation. Asking 사용 기간 and 수리 여부 shows you are a serious buyer, not just browsing. If the seller avoids a clear answer, you can politely repeat the question or ask to check the item together.
One thing to watch for
Using 얼마나 썼어요? with a stranger, which sounds like plain informal speech and can feel rude.
Try this instead: Use the honorific polite form 얼마나 쓰셨어요? or the noun-based 사용 기간이 어떻게 되세요? For example, ask 얼마나 쓰셨어요? when you meet the seller in person.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you ask a seller how long they used a camera?
Show a sample answer
이 카메라 얼마나 쓰셨어요?
This uses the target pattern 얼마나 쓰셨어요? with the item 카메라. You could also ask 사용 기간이 어떻게 되세요? for a more formal tone.
2The seller says they repaired the item. What follow-up question asks which part was repaired?
Show a sample answer
어디를 수리했어요?
어디를 asks 'which part' and 수리했어요 asks about the repair. A valid alternative is 어느 부분을 수리했어요?
3Translate into Korean: 'What is the period of use?'
Show a sample answer
사용 기간이 어떻게 되세요?
This uses the noun 사용 기간 with the polite question 어떻게 되세요? It is a natural alternative to 얼마나 쓰셨어요? and fits a slightly more formal pickup.
Ask 얼마나 쓰셨어요? for length of use and 수리한 적 있어요? for repair history. Keep the polite -요 tone, and follow up with 어디를 수리했어요? when the seller says yes.
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