Asking for Age in Korean

Home A1 Age in Korean

Age in Korean is quite an interesting topic. Until 2023, Korean age was different than western age!

We usually consider a person ‘zero’ years old when born, and they gain a year during the first birthday, earning additional year at each birthday to come.

However, in Korea a person is one-years old when born, and when the new year arrives, they gain another year, regardless of when their birthday is.

ASKING SOMEONE’S AGE

There are quite a few ways of asking someone their age, so let’s learn some useful phrases.

(실례지만) 몇 살이세요
나이가 어떻게 되세요?
(excuse me), how old are you?

This is the most common way of asking the age of a person who appears to be of similar age to you.

The age in this question refers to the ‘Korean age’, which starts from ‘1 years old’, just after being born.

However, as the ‘Korean age’ is quite complex, some people prefer to ask the year a person was born instead.

(실례지만) 몇 년 생이세요?
(Excuse me), what year were you born in?

This expression is also used for a person who appears to have the same age as you.

If you use this way, you may then be asked about your zodiac sign. Learn how to say your zodiac sign in Korean in our Western Zodiac post!

Here is a more formal way used for asking people from older generations.

(실례지만) 연세가 어떻게 되세요?
(Excuse me), how is your age?

Alternatively, the following way is used when asking the ‘legal’ age in Korean.

This is also known as the ‘hospital age’, as this is used to assess any age-related risks of the patient.

(실례지만) 만으로 나이가 어떻게 되세요?
(Excuse me), how old are you?

Did you know you can congratulate your friends on their birthday by sending them ‘ㅅㅇㅊㅋ’? Learn why in our Korean Texting post!

Now that you know how to ask someone’s age, how do you reply? Let’s find out.

SAYING YOUR AGE

Here are a few ways of saying your age.

Let’s start with the most straightforward way.

올해 ~살 에요.
I am ~years old this year.

Talking of age, do you know how to say when your birth date is? Check out our Dates in Korean page to learn more!

If you’d prefer to give your birth year instead you can instead use this method.

~년 생이에요.
I was born in year ~.

If a person is born before 2000, the year is often contracted to the last two digits (i.e.1988 becomes 88).

When using the Western age system, you can answer the question like this:

올해 만으로 ~살 이에요/~세 에요.
This year I am ~ years old.

COUNTING AND EXPRESSING AGE

You may remember that Korean has 2 number systems, but which ones do we use for age?

We use both systems but in different situations.

TIP || There are two different words for ‘age’ in Korean: 살 (Korean native) which we use with Korean native numbers and 세 (Sino Chinese) which is used with the Sino-Chinese numbers.

For asking and answering age-related questions, we use the Korean native numbers.

몇 살 이세요?	How old are you?
서른 세 살 이에요.	I am 33-years old.

For stating an official age requirement (i.e., for a class or for a job), the Sino-Chinese number system is used.

유치원은 몇 세 반부터 운영되나요?	What is the minimum age requirement for the kindergarten?
만 삼 세 반부터 운영됩니다.	The minimum age for the kindergarten is three.
한국의 평균 은퇴 연령은 몇 세 입니까?	What is the average age for retirement in Korea?
한국의 평균 은퇴 연령은 육십오 (65) 세 입니다.	The average age for retirement in Korea is sixty-five.

If these questions are getting a tad confusing, check out our Question Word page for a refresher.

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FAQs

How do I ask someone’s age in Korean?

To ask someone’s age in Korean you can use ‘(실례지만) 몇 살이세요/ 나이가 어떻게 되세요?’

How do I say my age in Korean?

To tell your age in Korean you can say ‘올해 ~살 에요. ‘

Do I use Sino-Chinese or Korean native numbers?

You use both: Korean native numbers for asking and answering age-related questions and Sino-Chinese for any official age requirements.

Learn more about Korean numbers here.

What are the two words for “age” in Korean?

There are two ways to say “age” in Korean:

– 살 (Korean native) which we use for Korean native numbers

– 세 (Sino Chinese) which is used with the Sino-Chinese numbers.

What is the difference between the Korean and Western age system?

Here is the difference between the Korean and Western age system.

In the Western system a person is ‘zero’ years old when born, and they gain a year during the first birthday.

In the Korean system a person is one-years old when born, and when the new year arrives, they gain another year, regardless of when their birthday is.

Where can I find more free Korean resources?

Our Korean Grammar Bank has some fantastic free resources for you to check out.