Key Facts
- Hangul: 나이; Revised Romanization: nai
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral. Honorific counterpart is 연세.
Age in Korean: What Does 나이 Mean?
나이 is the noun for a person's age, in a neutral register. Its honorific counterpart is 연세, reserved for elders. Two counters complete the picture: 살 is the native counter for years of age, and 세 is the Sino-Korean counter used in formal writing.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Two syllables, na-i. Say a and i as two separate vowels of equal length; do not merge them into the single English sound of "eye".
Example Sentences with 나이
나이가 어떻게 되세요?
Naiga eotteoke doeseyo?
How old are you?
The polite way to ask someone's age. 되세요 is the honorific form, which fits strangers and people senior to you.
제 나이는 스무 살이에요.
Je naineun seumu sarieyo.
I am twenty years old.
A direct statement. 스무 살 is "twenty years old" with the native counter 살, and 제 means "my".
나이가 많아요.
Naiga manayo.
He or she is old.
Here 많아요 ("is a lot") turns 나이 into "old". The sentence can describe a man or a woman.
Common Phrases and Collocations
나이가 많다 is "to be old", 나이가 어리다 is "to be young", and 나이를 먹다 is "to get older" (literally to eat age).
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 나이가 많다 | to be old |
| 나이를 먹다 | to get older |
| 나이가 어리다 | to be young |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 나이가 몇이에요? (to an elder)
Correct: ✓ 연세가 어떻게 되세요?
Why: 나이가 몇이에요? can pass between young peers but sounds rude to an elder. The respectful question swaps in the honorific noun 연세 and the honorific verb form 되세요.
나이 Compared with 연세 and 살 and 세
With elders, switch from 나이 to 연세. For the counters, 살 is spoken and 세 is formal writing.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 나이 | age | This page's word |
| 연세 | age (honorific) | Use for elders. |
| 살 | years old (counter) | Counter for age. |
| 세 | years old (Sino counter) | Used in formal writing. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
나이 is native Korean, with no hanja form.
Cultural Note
Asking age early in an acquaintance is common in Korea, because age often helps people decide which speech level and honorifics to use with each other. If you are unsure, it is fine to let the other person raise the topic first.
Meeting a Classmate: Are We the Same Age?
Two students are introducing themselves before a language class. They keep polite endings while discussing their ages.
Jisu
나이가 어떻게 되세요?
Naiga eotteoke doeseyo?
How old are you?
Alex
스물한 살이에요. 지수 씨는요?
Seumulhan sarieyo. Jisu ssineunyo?
I’m twenty-one. How about you, Jisu?
Jisu
저도 스물한 살이에요.
Jeodo seumulhan sarieyo.
I’m twenty-one too.
Alex
우리는 동갑이네요.
Urineun donggabineyo.
We’re the same age, then.
동갑 means “the same age”. The last line responds to the shared age rather than asking another question. Even after discovering they are the same age, the students can continue speaking politely; sharing an age does not require an immediate switch to casual speech.
How Do You Build an Age Answer?
나이 names the idea of age, while a number plus 살 states how old someone is. A short answer such as 스무 살이에요, “I’m twenty”, is complete in conversation. The listener already knows whose age you mean, so 제 나이는 can be left out.
With 살, twenty takes the form 스무 when it stands directly before the counter. Twenty-one is 스물한 살. The final part of the number changes too: 하나 becomes 한 before a counter. Write a space between a number written in words and 살.
The lesson on saying your age works through the number patterns. A beginner can first learn their own age as one phrase, then expand to the ages of family members.
What Do Common Age Expressions Really Mean?
나이를 먹다 literally says “eat age”, but means to grow older. It is a fixed expression, so 먹다 has no connection to a meal here. The subject is the person getting older, and 나이를 is the object of the expression.
나이가 많다 describes someone as older or old. With a comparison in the conversation, it can mean “older than the other person”, rather than “elderly”. A student comparing ages with another student may use it without referring to old age at all.
나이가 어리다 means someone is young. 어리다 is about age or immaturity; 작다 is about being small. A small child may fit both descriptions, but a short adult is not automatically young. Keep age and physical size separate when choosing the description.
Where Will You Encounter 나이?
In introductions, 나이 may come up when people discuss school years, family roles or how to address each other. A polite verb ending helps with tone, but an age question can still feel personal. Let the situation guide whether to ask it.
On a registration form, look for 연령, the formal noun “age”, and 생년월일, “date of birth”. A date-of-birth field asks for a date, so filling it with a number of years would answer a different question.
Use 연세 when respectfully asking an elder's age, but use 나이 for your own. Honorific vocabulary raises the person being discussed. It is not something to add to your own age just because you are talking politely.
Related Words for an Age Conversation
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 동갑 | same age | Describes two people of the same age. |
| 생일 | birthday | The day someone celebrates their birth. |
| 생년월일 | date of birth | A common label on forms. |
| 연령 | age | More formal than everyday 나이. |
These words connect age to introductions and forms. The people and relationships vocabulary places them alongside words for the people you are describing.
Quick Self-Test
- How do you say “twenty years old”: 스무 살 or 스물 살?
- Which noun should you use for your own age: 나이 or 연세?
- What does 나이를 먹다 mean?
Show answers
- 스무 살.
- 나이. 연세 respectfully refers to someone else's age.
- To get older; it is not about eating food.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "age" in Korean?
Say 나이 (nai). The honorific version for elders is 연세.
How do you ask someone's age politely?
Ask 나이가 어떻게 되세요?, and with elders use 연세가 어떻게 되세요?
What is 살?
살 is the counter for years of age, as in 스무 살, "twenty years old".
When is 세 used?
세 is the Sino-Korean counter and appears mainly in formal writing.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: People and relationships words groups 나이 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 나이 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare with the page for how to say your age.
- Compare with the page for the Korean age system.