How to say "How old are you?" in Korean
The natural way Koreans say "How old are you?" — with the polite form, close alternatives, and audio for every line.
몇 살이야?
myeot sariya?
Literally: How many years?
When to use it
Not rude in Korea - it is a practical question, because age decides which speech level and which word for brother or sister you use for the rest of the conversation.
Polite form
- 몇 살이에요?myeot sarieyo?Use this with strangers, anyone older than you, and at work.
Other ways to say it
- 연세가 어떻게 되세요?yeonsega eotteoke doeseyo?= May I ask your age? (respectful)연세 is the honorific word for age. For anyone clearly older than you.
- 몇 년생이세요?myeot nyeonsaeng-iseyo?= What year were you born?Often asked instead, because it settles the answer without arithmetic.
In a sentence
- 실례지만 몇 살이에요?sillyejiman myeot sarieyo?Excuse me, how old are you?
- 저는 스물다섯 살이에요.jeoneun seumuldaseot sarieyo.I'm twenty-five.
Practise this one. These phrases are in the phrase quiz — five rounds, no sign-up. Not reading Hangul yet? Start with the alphabet in 20 minutes.
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