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लॉगिन

Korean Phrases for Asking Someone to Take Your Photo

Level
A1
Type
phrase
Theme
Travel
작성자
  • Y
    Yanghwa
작성시각
You are standing in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace, a cherry blossom street, or a café that looks exactly like your camera roll has been waiting for it. You want a photo, but you do not want to shove your phone at a stranger and hope for the best.
In Korea, asking someone to take your photo is normal in tourist areas. The key is to ask politely, keep the request simple, and know one or two follow-up phrases if you want the photo taken a certain way.

The one phrase that works almost anywhere

Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
사진 좀 찍어 주실 수 있을까요?
sajin jom jjigeo jusil su isseulkkayo?
Could you please take a photo for me?
사진 좀 찍어 주시겠어요?
sajin jom jjigeo jusigesseoyo?
Would you please take a photo for me?
사진 한 장만 찍어 주세요.
sajin han jangman jjigeo juseyo.
Please take just one photo for me.

Handing over your phone

After someone says yes, hand them your phone with the camera already open.
Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
여기 눌러 주세요.
yeogi nulleo juseyo.
Please press here.
셔터만 눌러 주세요.
syeoteoman nulleo juseyo.
Please just press the shutter.
이 버튼이에요.
i beoteunieyo.
It’s this button.

Asking for the angle you want

Short phrases work best.
Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
가로로 찍어 주세요.
garoro jjigeo juseyo.
Please take it horizontally.
세로로 찍어 주세요.
seroro jjigeo juseyo.
Please take it vertically.
전신 나오게 찍어 주세요.
jeonsin naoge jjigeo juseyo.
Please include my whole body.
배경도 나오게 찍어 주세요.
baegyeongdo naoge jjigeo juseyo.
Please include the background too.
조금 멀리서 찍어 주세요.
jogeum meolliseo jjigeo juseyo.
Please take it from a little farther away.
조금 가까이서 찍어 주세요.
jogeum gakkaiseo jjigeo juseyo.
Please take it from a little closer.

When you want the landmark in the photo

In Korean, 나오게 means "so that it comes out" or "so that it appears in the photo."
Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
궁도 나오게 찍어 주세요.
gungdo naoge jjigeo juseyo.
Please include the palace too.
남산타워도 나오게 찍어 주세요.
namsan tawo-do naoge jjigeo juseyo.
Please include Namsan Tower too.
간판도 나오게 찍어 주세요.
ganpando naoge jjigeo juseyo.
Please include the sign too.
뒤에 배경도 나오게 찍어 주세요.
dwie baegyeongdo naoge jjigeo juseyo.
Please include the background behind me too.

Asking for one more photo

Sometimes the first photo is blurry, your eyes are closed, or the background is missing.
Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
한 장만 더 찍어 주실 수 있을까요?
han jangman deo jjigeo jusil su isseulkkayo?
Could you please take one more?
한 번만 더 부탁드려요.
han beonman deo butakdeuryeoyo.
Just one more time, please.
죄송한데, 한 장만 더 부탁드려요.
joesonghande, han jangman deo butakdeuryeoyo.
Sorry, one more photo, please.

How to say thank you naturally

Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
감사합니다.
gamsahamnida
Thank you.
정말 감사합니다.
jeongmal gamsahamnida
Thank you so much.
잘 나왔어요. 감사합니다.
jal nawasseoyo. gamsahamnida.
It came out well. Thank you.
덕분에 좋은 사진 찍었어요.
deokbune joeun sajin jjigeosseoyo.
Thanks to you, I got a nice photo.

A quick safety and manners note

In busy tourist areas, many people are happy to help. Still, use common sense with your phone. It is safer to ask another traveler, a staff member, a family, or someone already taking photos nearby.
Open the camera before asking. If the other person has to wait while you unlock your phone and adjust everything, the request starts to feel heavier.

Your Photo Request Set

For a clean, natural photo request in Korea, use this three-step set:
1.
죄송한데, 사진 좀 찍어 주실 수 있을까요?
2.
가로로 찍어 주세요 or 세로로 찍어 주세요
3.
감사합니다. 잘 나왔어요.
That is enough for most travel photos. You can be polite, give one simple direction, and end the moment warmly without turning it into a long Korean conversation.
Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
감사합니다.
gamsahamnida
Thank you.
정말 감사합니다.
jeongmal gamsahamnida
Thank you so much.
잘 나왔어요. 감사합니다.
jal nawasseoyo. gamsahamnida.
It came out well. Thank you.
덕분에 좋은 사진 찍었어요.
deokbune joeun sajin jjigeosseoyo.
Thanks to you, I got a nice photo.