얼마예요?
eolmayeyo?
The English phrase "how much does it cost?" is translated into Korean as 얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?)
This phrase is used to ask for the price of an item.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 얼마 (how much) and 예요 (is/am/are).
Which one should you use?
While 얼마예요? is a standard way to ask for a price, you may also use 가격이 어떻게 되나요? to ask "What is the price?" or 값이 얼마야? to ask "What's the price?" in an informal context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 얼마예요? is polite and appropriate for use with strangers or shopkeepers. For highly formal settings, such as professional environments or formal announcements, use 얼마입니까? If you are speaking with close friends or people younger than you, you can use the casual version 얼마야?
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 얼마예요? uses the polite ending -예요, making it appropriate for use with strangers or shopkeepers.
How do you pronounce it?
eolmayeyo?
Did you know?
- If you ask 얼마예요? and the price is very low, a seller might respond with 서비스예요, meaning 'It is a service'. This means the item is actually free of charge.
- When asking the price of an item, you must be careful to use the correct number system, as Korean uses two different sets of numbers for counting. Prices are typically spoken using the Sino-Korean system, which is different from the native Korean system used for counting people or objects.
- The word 얼마 can also be used to describe a length of time. Depending on the context, it can mean 'how long' or 'a certain amount of time', not just a monetary value.
Examples in context
- 신발이 얼마입니까?How much are these shoes?
- 이 제품의 가격이 어떻게 되나요?What is the price of this product?
- 이거 값이 얼마야?What's the price of this?
- 이 사과 얼마예요?i sagwa eolmayeyo?How much is this apple?
- 그 가방 얼마예요?geu gabang eolmayeyo?How much is that bag?
- 커피 한 잔 얼마예요?keopi han jan eolmayeyo?How much is a cup of coffee?
Example conversation
Minji is shopping for a gift at a store.
- 민지 Min-ji이 모자 얼마예요?i moja eolmayeyo?How much is this hat?
- 민준 Min-jun그 모자는 만 원이에요.geu mojaneun man won-ieyo.That hat is ten thousand won.
- 민지 Min-ji생각보다 저렴하네요.saenggakboda jeoryeomhaneyo.It's cheaper than I thought.
- 민준 Min-jun네, 정말 좋은 가격이에요.ne, jeongmal joeun gagyeogieyo.Yes, it is a very good price.
