Age in Japanese : How to ask age politely?

Do you know how to ask for age in Japanese? Is it okay to ask for age to Japanese people? Today, let’s learn not only the language but also the manner.

Age in Japanese

First, learn how to say your age.Basically, you can say with adding the counter “歳(さい/sai)” to the number.

The special is the age of 20, “はたち(hatachi)”. This is not only a number, but traditionally the age at which Japanese people become adults. (In 2022, the legal adult is now 18 years old.)

▶PDF is Here.

Japan is famous for its many special birthday events.We celebrate by wearing special kimonos.

Is it okay to ask age in Japan？

By the way,have you ever been asked your age in Japan? Why do Japanese people always ask for your age? I have also been asked this question.In Japan, of course, it would be rude to ask someone who you would expect would not want to tell you much about their age. If you are in a company or community, they might ask someone they just met.

This is due to the Japanese language. We speak politely to our elders, using honorifics. If we speak to our elders in a casual manner, it is impolite and creates friction in later relationships. To avoid this problem, we verify age.

Etiquette Guide to Japan

How do you ask age in Japanese?

So how do we ask?

First, learn formal and indirect expressions.

あの、しつれいですが、おいくつですか。

Um, excuse me, how old are you?

Another way, When you directly ask someone’s age, it means that the two parties are not concerned about each other’s age, for example, young people.

なんさい　ですか。

How old are you？

Next ,if you were invited to a Japanese birthday party, here’s how you’d ask!

なんさい　に　なりますか。

how old will you be?

If you want to talk about birthdays with your friends, check this out!

Days of months in Japanese : Figure out Japanese calendar

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Want to know more about Japanese?