ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಯಸ್ಸೆಷ್ಟು?
nimma vayassestu?
To ask "how old are you?" in Kannada, use ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಯಸ್ಸೆಷ್ಟು? (nimma vayassestu?)
This phrase is used to inquire about a person's age.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nimma (your), vayassu (age) and estu (how much/how many).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಯಸ್ಸೆಷ್ಟು? is a contraction of nimma vayassu estu? and both are grammatically correct and common in speech.
How do you pronounce it?
nimma vayassestu?
Did you know?
- If you are asking a much younger person, using the formal ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಯಸ್ಸೆಷ್ಟು? can actually be perceived as sarcastic or mocking, as if you are treating a child like a high-ranking official.
- The word ವಯಸ್ಸು (age) is shared with several other Dravidian languages, reflecting an ancient linguistic root that predates the influence of Sanskrit in the region.
- While estu means 'how much' in the phrase ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಯಸ್ಸೆಷ್ಟು?, it is also used in markets to ask for the price of goods, treating age and cost as measurable quantities.
Examples in context
- ಕ್ಷಮಿಸಿ, ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಯಸ್ಸೆಷ್ಟು?kṣamisi, nimma vayasseṣṭu?Excuse me, how old are you?
Example conversation
Pranav and Kavya are meeting for the first time at a community event.
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ಕಾವ್ಯ, ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಯಸ್ಸೆಷ್ಟು?namaskāra kāvya, nimma vayasseṣṭu?Hello Kavya, how old are you?
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaನನಗೆ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ವರ್ಷ.nanage ippattu varṣa.I am twenty years old.
- ಪ್ರಣವ್ Pranavಓಹೋ, ನಾವು ಒಂದೇ ವಯಸ್ಸಿನವರು!ōhō, nāvu ondē vayassinavaru!Oh, we are the same age!
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಹೌದು, ತುಂಬಾ ಸಂತೋಷವಾಯಿತು.haudu, tumbā santōṣavāyitu.Yes, I am very happy to know that.
