저는 …살이에요
Jeoneun …sal-ieyo
In Korean, 'I am years old' is expressed as 저는 …살이에요 (Jeoneun …sal-ieyo).
This phrase is used to state your age.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 살 (sal) is the counter for years of age, meaning 'years old'.
How do you pronounce it?
Jeoneun …sal-ieyo
When do people say it?
In Korean culture, it is common for people to ask each other's age as a polite way of getting to know each other better. Note that the Korean age system considers a newborn as one year old and adds an additional year on every New Year's Day.
Did you know?
- To be extra polite when talking about an older person's age, the word 살 is replaced with 연세, which is a highly respectful term.
- Because age dictates social hierarchy, knowing how to say your age is often a prerequisite for deciding which level of politeness to use in all other conversations.
- In South Korea, the government officially moved toward the international age system in 2023, meaning the traditional 'one year old at birth' rule is being phased out for administrative use.
