Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 누구세요? | nuguseyo? | |
| 누구십니까? | nugusimnikka? | |
| 누구예요? | nuguyeyo? | |
| 누구야? | nuguya? | informal |
Specifically, 누구세요? is the most natural way to ask "Who is it?" when someone knocks on your door or calls on the phone.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 누구 means "who".
Which one should you use?
누구세요? is a polite way to ask "Who is it?", particularly in response to a knock or a phone call. 누구예요? is the standard polite form used for general everyday conversation. 누구십니까? is a highly formal version used in professional settings or when addressing someone of much higher status. 누구야? is the casual, non-polite form.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
누구십니까? is highly formal for professional or high-status contexts. 누구야? is informal and should be used only with close friends or people younger than you.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 누구예요? is the standard polite way to ask "who are you?" in everyday conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
nuguseyo?
Did you know?
- If you use the casual form 누구야? to an elder or a boss, it is not just a mistake in politeness, it is considered an aggressive confrontation.
- In historical Korean dramas, you will hear a version of 누구야? used by nobility toward servants, where the lack of politeness marks a strict caste difference.
- The word 누구 is used for both 'who' and 'anyone'. This means a phrase like 누구 없어요? literally asks 'who is not here?' but actually means 'is anyone there?'
Examples in context
- 누구야?Who are you?This example shows how to use the informal form 누구야?Tatoeba #10587551 by ssuss32, translation #356200 by yorickvidal
- 안녕하세요? 누구세요?Hello? Who are you?
- 저는 처음 보는데, 누구세요?I am meeting you for the first time, who are you?
- 실례지만, 누구세요?sillyejiman, nuguseyo?Excuse me, but who are you?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minjun is answering the intercom at his apartment.
- 민준 Min-jun벨이 울렸어요. 누구세요?beri ullyeosseoyo. nuguseyo?The bell rang. Who are you?
- 수빈 Su-bin택배 기사입니다.taekbae gisa-imnida.I am a delivery driver.
- 민준 Min-jun아, 문 앞에 두고 가세요.a, mun ape dugo gaseyo.Ah, please leave it in front of the door.
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 알겠습니다.ne, algetseumnida.Yes, I understand.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “who are you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
