Korean for Secondhand Apps: Asking for a Close-Up Photo of an Item's Condition
Learn polite Korean phrases to request clearer, closer photos of a secondhand item's condition on apps like 당근마켓 before you agree to meet.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When you buy secondhand goods on Korean apps such as 당근마켓, the listing photo often hides small scratches, dents, or worn corners. Before you travel to meet a seller, you can ask for a closer, clearer picture. This lesson gives you polite 해요체 phrases built around 상태 (condition), 사진 (photo), and 가까이 (close up). You will learn how to request another photo, ask someone to shoot from closer, and check a specific spot. The goal is simple: see the real condition first, then decide whether to meet.
By the end, you can…
- politely ask a seller to send another photo of an item's condition.
- ask someone to take a photo from closer or of a specific part.
- confirm what I want to see before agreeing to meet in person.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
상태 사진 좀 더 보내주실 수 있어요?
Could you send me a few more photos of the condition?
sang-tae sa-jin jom deo bo-nae-ju-sil su i-sseo-yo
The main request. 좀 softens it; 보내주실 수 있어요? is a polite 해요체 form of 'could you send'.
가까이서 찍어주세요.
Please take the photo from closer.
ga-kka-i-seo jjik-eo-ju-se-yo
Use when the current photo is too far away. 가까이서 means 'from close up'; 찍어주세요 means 'please take (a photo)'.
이 부분 좀 찍어주실 수 있어요?
Could you take a photo of this part?
i bu-bun jom jjik-eo-ju-sil su i-sseo-yo
Point to a specific area, such as a corner or edge, when you want a detailed shot.
혹시 긁힌 곳 있어요?
Are there any scratches, by chance?
hok-si geul-kin got i-sseo-yo
혹시 makes the question softer and less accusatory. Use it to ask about damage directly.
사진이 좀 흐려서 잘 안 보여요.
The photo is a bit blurry, so I can't see it well.
sa-jin-i jom heu-ryeo-seo jal an bo-yeo-yo
A polite way to explain why you need another photo. 흐려서 means 'because it is blurry'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 상태 사진 좀 더 보내주실 수 있어요? combines 상태 (condition) + 사진 (photo) + 좀 더 (a little more) + 보내주실 수 있어요? (could you send?). You can swap the noun to ask for something else: 전체 사진 좀 더 보내주실 수 있어요? means 'Could you send more photos of the whole item?' The ending -주실 수 있어요? is polite and common in 해요체 when asking a favor. For a direct but still polite instruction, use 가까이서 찍어주세요, where 찍다 means 'to take a photo' and -아/어 주세요 means 'please do it for me'.
When to use it
Use these phrases after you have seen the listing photo but still need detail. For example, if a bag looks fine but you cannot see the corners, say 이 부분 좀 찍어주실 수 있어요? and point to the corner. If the photo is too far away, say 가까이서 찍어주세요. If you are worried about scratches, ask 혹시 긁힌 곳 있어요? Avoid demanding language like 당장 보내세요, which sounds rude. In Korean secondhand chats, sellers usually respond well to short, polite requests that explain why you need the photo, such as 사진이 좀 흐려서 잘 안 보여요.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
안녕하세요. 상태 사진 좀 더 보내주실 수 있어요?
Hello. Could you send me a few more photos of the condition?an-nyeong-ha-se-yo. sang-tae sa-jin jom deo bo-nae-ju-sil su i-sseo-yo네, 어떤 부분이 궁금하세요?
Sure, which part are you curious about?ne, eo-tteon bu-bun-i gung-geum-ha-se-yo모서리랑 가까이서 찍어주세요. 긁힌 곳도 확인하고 싶어요.
Please take a photo of the corners from closer. I also want to check for scratches.mo-seo-ri-rang ga-kka-i-seo jjik-eo-ju-se-yo. geul-kin got-do hwa-gin-ha-go si-peo-yo알겠습니다. 사진 찍어서 보내드릴게요.
Okay. I'll take photos and send them to you.al-get-seum-ni-da. sa-jin jjik-eo-seo bo-nae-deu-ril-ge-yoA little context goes a long way
On 당근마켓 and similar Korean secondhand apps, chat is usually polite but not formal. 해요체 is the safe default with strangers. Sellers may be busy, so keep requests short and specific. Asking for a close-up is normal, but repeated demands or pressure to lower the price before seeing the item can end the conversation. If you plan to meet, confirm the place and time separately after you are satisfied with the photos.
One thing to watch for
Using 가까이 찍어주세요 without 서, or saying 사진을 가까이 보내주세요 to mean 'send a close-up photo'.
Try this instead: For 'take a photo from close up', say 가까이서 찍어주세요. The 서 marks the position from which the action happens. 보내다 means 'to send', not 'to take a photo', so 사진을 가까이 보내주세요 sounds like 'send the photo to a nearby place'. Use 찍다 for taking a picture and 보내다 for sending it.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you politely ask a seller to send more photos of the item's condition?
Show a sample answer
상태 사진 좀 더 보내주실 수 있어요?
This uses 상태 (condition), 사진 (photo), and the polite request ending -주실 수 있어요? It is appropriate for 해요체 chat with a stranger.
2The photo is too far away. What can you say to ask for a closer shot?
Show a sample answer
가까이서 찍어주세요.
가까이서 means 'from close up' and 찍어주세요 means 'please take a photo'. You could also add 이 부분 좀 to point to a specific part.
3You want to ask whether there are scratches. What is a soft, polite question?
Show a sample answer
혹시 긁힌 곳 있어요?
혹시 softens the question and makes it sound less like an accusation. 긁힌 곳 means 'scratched spot'. You can also ask 상태 어떤가요? to ask about overall condition.
Before you meet a seller, ask for a close-up with 상태 사진 좀 더 보내주실 수 있어요? and 가까이서 찍어주세요. Keep it short, polite, and specific to the part you need to see.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Korean into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr