What does it mean word for word?
The core of the expression is the noun 동갑, which specifically refers to people being the same age.
Which one should you use?
우리 동갑이에요 is a polite version suitable for most social situations. 우린 동갑이야 is a friendly, informal version. 우리는 동갑입니다 is a polite expression used in formal settings, while 우리는 같은 나이입니다 serves as a formal alternative for stating age similarities. 나이가 같아 is a colloquial way to say "our ages are the same" among peers or friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use 우린 동갑이야 when you feel comfortable dropping polite language rules with people of a similar age. 우리는 동갑입니다 is a polite and commonly used expression in formal settings, and 우리는 같은 나이입니다 is a formal alternative.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 동갑 is a noun and does not change its form based on whether you are talking about one person or multiple people.
How do you pronounce it?
uri donggap-ieyo
Did you know?
- The term 동갑 is actually a hidden reference to the Chinese zodiac. It stems from the words for 'same' and 'ten', referencing the ten-year cycle of the zodiac signs.
- Because age is so central to social hierarchy, Koreans may ask for your birth year almost immediately upon meeting to determine if you are 동갑 and how to address you.
- The word 우리 in this phrase often behaves like a 'collective' rather than a strictly plural pronoun. Koreans frequently use 우리 to mean 'my' when referring to shared personal things, such as 'our mother' or 'our house', even if they are the only person speaking about them.
Examples in context
- 우리 동갑이에요.uri donggapieyo.We are the same age.
- 반가워요, 우리 동갑이에요!bangawoyo, uri donggapieyo!Nice to meet you, we are the same age!
- 정말요? 우리 동갑이에요.jeongmallyo? uri donggapieyo.Really? We are the same age.
Example conversation
Two people meet at a social gathering and discover their ages.
- 지훈 Ji-hun혹시 몇 년생이에요?hoksi myeot nyeonsaengieyo?By any chance, what year were you born?
- 서연 Seo-yeon저는 1995년생이에요.jeoneun cheon-baek-gusip-onyeon-saeng-ieyo.I was born in 1995.
- 지훈 Ji-hun와, 저도요! 우리 동갑이에요.wa, jeodo! uri donggapieyo.Wow, me too! We are the same age.
- 서연 Seo-yeon진짜요? 정말 반가워요!jinjjayo? jeongmal bangawoyo!Really? I'm so glad to hear that!
