살 vs 세
Try it freeContrast quizPick the right form in a mini quiz.Open →Explanation
Everyday age often uses native numbers + 살: 스무 살, 서른 살 (with native number forms).
세 appears in more formal or Sino-style age expressions (and some official contexts).
Particle: 스무 살이에요: identity with the copula.
Mistake: mixing two number forms in one phrase, such as 20 스무 살, or copying English “years old” word order.
Level: beginner. Read both sides of the contrast, say the examples out loud, then write one correct and one incorrect sentence and fix it.
Cross-link: open the related grammar or tools page the same day so the fix sticks in your study graph.
Examples
저는 스무 살이에요.
I’m twenty years old.
올해 서른 살이 됐어요.
I turned thirty this year.
Common mistakes
- Translating the English pair word-for-word without checking which Korean form carries the real distinction.
- Treating the two forms as free synonyms after memorizing only one example.
Keep learning
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