열 살이에요
yeol sarieyo
In Korean, "I am ten years old" is said as 열 살이에요 (yeol sarieyo).
This phrase is used to state that a person's age is ten years. You can use the phrase 열 살 to mean "ten years old" and the counter 살 is used for expressing age. Note that in Korean, the subject "I" (such as 저는 or 나는) is often omitted when the context makes it clear you are talking about yourself.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 열 (ten), 살 (years old/counter for age) and 이에요 (am/is/are).
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "I am ten years old" to someone younger or a close friend, use the informal form 열 살이야. The form 열 살이에요 uses the polite ending '-이에요', making it appropriate for speaking to adults or strangers.
How do you pronounce it?
yeol sarieyo
Did you know?
- In Korea, people traditionally celebrate a child's first birthday as if they are two years old because the time spent in the womb is counted toward their age.
- In Korean culture, age is so central to social hierarchy that stating your age with a phrase like 열 살이에요 immediately determines how others should address you and how you should address them.
- Depending on the context, the sound 열 can refer to the number 'ten' or mean 'heat' or 'row' because it is a homonym with several Sino-Korean words.
Examples in context
- 저는 열 살이에요.jeoneun yeol sarieyo.I am ten years old.
- 제 동생은 열 살이에요.je dongsaeng-eun yeol sarieyo.My younger sibling is ten years old.
- 민준이는 열 살이에요.minjun-ineun yeol sarieyo.Minjun is ten years old.
Example conversation
Two children are introducing themselves at a park.
- 민준 Min-jun안녕? 나는 민준이야. 몇 살이야?annyeong? naneun minjun-iya. myeot sar-iya?Hi? I'm Minjun. How old are you?
- 서연 Seo-yeon안녕하세요. 저는 열 살이에요.annyeonghaseyo. jeoneun yeol sarieyo.Hello. I am ten years old.
- 민준 Min-jun정말? 나도 열 살이야!jeongmal? nado yeol sar-iya!Really? I am ten too!
- 서연 Seo-yeon와, 우리 동갑이네요!wa, uri donggap-ineyo!Wow, we are the same age!
