Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 누구세요? | nuguseyo? | |
| 누구십니까? | nugusimnikka? | |
| 누구예요? | nuguyeyo? | |
| 누구야? | nuguya? | informal |
누구세요? is the most common way to ask "Who is it?" when someone knocks on a door or calls you. Other variations include the informal 넌 누구야? and 누구냐?, which are commonly used among friends or peers or in a very informal context.
What does it mean word for word?
The root word 누구 means "who".
Which one should you use?
누구십니까? is the highly formal version used in professional settings or when addressing someone of much higher status. 누구예요? is a standard polite way to ask the question in everyday situations. 누구야? is the casual/informal version used only with close friends or people younger than you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, you can use 누구십니까? or 당신은 누구세요? as a formal way to ask "Who are you?" For everyday polite situations, use 누구예요? or 누구세요? For informal situations, use 누구야?, 넌 누구야? or 누구냐?
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 누구예요? uses the polite ending -예요, making it a standard polite way to ask the question in everyday situations.
How do you pronounce it?
nuguseyo?
Did you know?
- Using the word 'you' (당신) in the phrase 당신은 누구세요? can actually sound aggressive or confrontational in Korean. It is often better to replace 'you' with the person's name or title.
- In a professional setting, instead of asking 'Who are you?', Koreans often ask 'Who is your company/position?' to identify someone. Asking 'Who are you?' directly can feel too personal or intrusive.
- The highly formal version 누구십니까? is often used in literature or period dramas to establish a sense of profound respect or ancient gravity. It sounds much more 'heavy' than its English counterpart.
Examples in context
- 누구야?Who are you?This example shows how to use the informal 누구야?Tatoeba #10587551 by ssuss32, translation #356200 by yorickvidal
- 실례지만, 누구세요?sillyejiman, nuguseyo?Excuse me, but who are you?
- 갑자기 전화해서 누구세요? 라고 물었어요.gapjagi jeonhwahaeseo nuguseyo? rago muleosseoyo.They called suddenly and asked, "Who are you?"
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jihoon answers the door to an unexpected visitor.
- 지훈 Ji-hun누구세요?nuguseyo?Who is it?
- 수빈 Su-bin저 수빈이에요.jeo subinieyo.It's me, Subin.
- 지훈 Ji-hun아, 수빈 씨군요!a, subin ssigunyo!Oh, it's you, Subin!
- 수빈 Su-bin안녕하세요, 지훈 씨.annyeonghaseyo, jihun ssi.Hello, Jihoon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “who are you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
