How to Say ‘How old is your younger sister?’ in Japanese
妹さんはおいくつですか。
imouto san wa o iku tsu desu ka
[ee-moh-toh sahn wah oh ee-koo tsoo desu kah]
💬 Usage Tip: おいくつ is a polite way to ask age, softer than 何歳 (nansai) "how many years old".
Phrase Breakdown
妹さんは
imouto san wa
As for your younger sister
妹さん (imouto-san) is the polite word for someone else's younger sister. は is pronounced 'wa'.
妹さんは学生ですか。
Is your younger sister a student?
Words in this phrase
妹
imouto
[ee-moh-toh]
younger sister
Refers to one's own younger sister.
妹がいます。
I have a younger sister.
さん
san
[sahn]
Mr.; Ms.; polite suffix
さん is a polite suffix attached to people's roles or names, adding respect.
おじいさんがきました。
Grandfather came.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
Marks the topic; in 次は it means as for next or next, then.
次は何を見るか、教えてください。
Please tell me what we look at next.
おいくつですか。
o iku tsu desu ka
how old is she?
おいくつ (oikutsu) is the polite way to ask someone's age. ですか (desu ka) makes a polite question.
お兄さんはおいくつですか。
How old is your older brother?
Words in this phrase
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
Makes 荷物 more polite in customer service language.
おを付けると丁寧です。
Adding お makes it polite.
いく
iku
[ee-koo]
how many; how old (part of おいくつ)
From いくつ, used to ask an amount/number; with お + いくつ it becomes a polite way to ask someone’s age.
おいくつですか。
How old are you?
つ
tsu
[tsoo]
counter suffix
This hiragana helps form the general counter 一つ, meaning 'one item.'
つを付けて一つになります。
Adding つ makes it 一つ.
です
desu
[desu]
is; am; are
A polite copula used to make statements and questions.
ここは出口です。
This is the exit.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
A sentence-ending particle that turns a statement into a question.
今で大丈夫ですか。
Is now okay?
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