사진을 보여주다.
sajineul boyeojuda.
To show a picture.
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use this phrase to share visual memories or provide visual proof by showing a photograph to someone else.
- Means: To display or present a photograph for someone else to see.
- Used in: Social gatherings, showing ID, or sharing travel memories on a phone.
- Don't confuse: With '사진을 찍다' which means to actually take the photo.
Explanation at your level:
Signification
The act of displaying an image to someone.
Contexte culturel
Koreans love taking 'Insa-shot' (insider shots) of food and cafes specifically to show them to others on social media or in person. It is common for parents to show photos of their children to colleagues as a way of bonding, often referred to as 'Jasik-jarang' (boasting about children). In the context of dating apps in Korea, 'showing a photo' is the first step of 'Sogaeting' (blind dates). Privacy laws (초상권) are very strict. Showing a photo of a stranger without their consent can lead to legal trouble.
Use '좀'
Adding '좀' (jom) before '보여주세요' makes you sound much more natural and polite, like a native speaker.
The Swipe Rule
In Korea, it is considered very rude to swipe through someone's gallery without permission. Only look at the photo they show you!
Signification
The act of displaying an image to someone.
Use '좀'
Adding '좀' (jom) before '보여주세요' makes you sound much more natural and polite, like a native speaker.
The Swipe Rule
In Korea, it is considered very rude to swipe through someone's gallery without permission. Only look at the photo they show you!
Honorifics Matter
Always use '보여드리다' with teachers, bosses, or people significantly older than you to avoid sounding rude.
Food Photos
Showing photos of what you ate is a very common way to bond in Korea. Don't be shy to show your lunch!
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '보여주다' to politely ask a stranger to show a photo.
죄송하지만, 그 {사진|寫眞} 좀 _______?
'-주세요' is the standard polite request form.
Which sentence is the most appropriate when showing a photo to your grandfather?
할아버지께 {사진|寫眞}을...
'보여드리다' is the humble form used for superiors like grandfathers.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 여행 재미있었어? {사진|寫眞} 있어? B: 응, 지금 ________.
'보여줄게' (I will show you) is the natural response to a friend's interest.
Match the phrase to the situation: '신분증 {사진|寫眞} 좀 보여주세요.'
Where would you hear this?
Banks require photo ID verification.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Show vs. Take
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes, you can say '동영상을 보여주다' (show a video).
'보여주다' is for friends/juniors, '보여드리다' is for seniors/superiors.
No, it is almost always written in Hangeul (사진). Hanja is only for academic or formal study.
'신분증 좀 보여주세요' is the most common way.
Yes, but it's very casual. '보여줘' is more common when asking someone to present it.
You can say '여러분에게 사진을 보여드릴게요' (I will show you all the photo).
No, it just means showing. To give the physical photo, use '사진을 주다'.
'사진 더 보여주세요' (Please show me more photos).
Yes, if the atmosphere is casual, it's a common way to build rapport.
It's slang for 'throwing a photo' into a group chat (showing it digitally).
Yes, '웹사이트를 보여주다' works perfectly.
In Korean, '-주다' indicates that the action is a favor for the benefit of the listener.
'나중에 보여줄게요' (I'll show you later).
In texting, people often just say '사진 고' (Photo go/Show me).
Expressions liées
{사진|寫眞}을 찍다
similarTo take a photo
{사진|寫眞}을 보내다
similarTo send a photo
{사진|寫眞}을 인화하다
specialized formTo print/develop a photo
{사진|寫眞}을 자랑하다
builds onTo brag with a photo
실물을 보다
contrastTo see in person
Où l'utiliser
At a Cafe with a friend
민수: 나 어제 고양이 카페 갔어! {사진|寫眞} 보여줄까?
지수: 응, 빨리 보여줘! 궁금해.
At the Airport Security
직원: 여권 {사진|寫眞} 좀 보여주시겠어요?
여행객: 네, 여기 있습니다. 보여드릴게요.
Family Gathering
손자: 할머니, 제 여자친구 {사진|寫眞} 보여드릴까요?
할머니: 그래, 우리 강아지 여자친구 좀 보자!
Business Meeting
팀장: 현장 {사진|寫眞}을 보여주면서 설명해 보세요.
사원: 네, 화면에 있는 {사진|寫眞}을 보여드리겠습니다.
Asking for Directions
관광객: 죄송한데, 이 {사진|寫眞} 속 장소가 어디인지 아세요?
행인: {사진|寫眞} 좀 보여주세요. 아, 여기는 명동이에요.
Dating App Match
A: 실물 {사진|寫眞} 더 보여줄 수 있어?
B: 응, 카톡으로 다른 {사진|寫眞} 보여줄게.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Sajin' as 'Sargent' taking a photo, and 'Boyeo-juda' as 'Boy, oh, you give' a look.
Visual Association
Imagine a person holding a glowing smartphone screen towards you, and as you look at the photo, a small gift box (주다) pops out of the screen.
Rhyme
Sajin-eul boyeo-juda, memories are never-juda (never gone)!
Story
A traveler named Sa-jin went to Seoul. He took many pictures. When he met his friend, he wanted to 'give' (주다) the 'sight' (보여) of his trip. So he said, 'Sajin-eul boyeo-juda!'
Word Web
Défi
Open your phone's gallery, pick a photo, and describe it to an imaginary Korean friend starting with '사진 보여줄게요' (I'll show you a photo).
In Other Languages
Mostrar una foto
Korean adds a 'favor' nuance with '-주다'.
Montrer une photo
French lacks the honorific distinction found in Korean.
Ein Foto zeigen
German word order changes in subordinate clauses, unlike Korean.
写真を見せる (Shashin o miseru)
Japanese honorifics (ageru/kureru/morau) are even more complex than Korean.
عرض صورة (Ard sura)
Arabic verbs change significantly based on the gender of the speaker and listener.
看照片 (Kàn zhàopiàn)
Chinese uses 'Look' (看) while Korean uses 'Show' (보여주다).
Mostrar uma foto
Portuguese uses 'me' (to me) as a clitic, whereas Korean uses '나한테' or implies it.
Show a photo
English doesn't have a built-in 'favor' auxiliary verb.
Easily Confused
Both use '{사진|寫眞}' and '주다'.
Remember '찍다' is the sound of a camera shutter (click!), while '보여' comes from '보다' (to see).
Learners think '봐주다' is the same as 'show me'.
'봐주다' means to do the favor of looking at something (like checking for errors) or to forgive someone.
FAQ (14)
Yes, you can say '동영상을 보여주다' (show a video).
'보여주다' is for friends/juniors, '보여드리다' is for seniors/superiors.
No, it is almost always written in Hangeul (사진). Hanja is only for academic or formal study.
'신분증 좀 보여주세요' is the most common way.
Yes, but it's very casual. '보여줘' is more common when asking someone to present it.
You can say '여러분에게 사진을 보여드릴게요' (I will show you all the photo).
No, it just means showing. To give the physical photo, use '사진을 주다'.
'사진 더 보여주세요' (Please show me more photos).
Yes, if the atmosphere is casual, it's a common way to build rapport.
It's slang for 'throwing a photo' into a group chat (showing it digitally).
Yes, '웹사이트를 보여주다' works perfectly.
In Korean, '-주다' indicates that the action is a favor for the benefit of the listener.
'나중에 보여줄게요' (I'll show you later).
In texting, people often just say '사진 고' (Photo go/Show me).
