# Do you ask people their age? Do you not like to answer that question yourself? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 14, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759 "2006-05-14T22:05:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759/61 "2011-01-11T12:05:04Z")
I rarely ask how old someone is, and I have no problem telling people how old I am. I apparently look much younger than I am, and have actually had to dig out my drivers license to prove that I am \ [whenever they asked me how old I was, last time was about 3 years ago] I am currently 49. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759/62 "2011-01-11T16:42:23Z")
I don’t generally ask others - it’s considered rude. But I have no problem being asked. I’ve got no issues with my age. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759/63 "2011-01-11T19:20:11Z")
> [@ShianeRochell](#): > > Secondly, why would this be important to the this person? When I ask someone his/her age it’s not that the answer is “important,” it’s just one more piece of information about him/her. I don’t go around asking everyone I meet how old they are, but sometimes I’ll ask if someone says something that implies they are significantly younger or older than I thought. It usually comes up during conversations that include pop culture references. Sometimes I wish my age were as obvious as my skin color, sex, height, etc. > [@Mrs\_Johnson](#): > > It’ll be nice when I’m 35 to look 25 I used to think that. I’m 39, and most people think I’m in my late 20s…it’s not the worst problem to have, but it never really stops getting old. Sorry. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759/64 "2011-01-11T19:38:52Z")
I ask people who are likely to answer by holding up the right number of pudgy litttle kid fingers. If I’m talking with someone and become curious I might ask “when did you graduate from high school?” or some other way that relates to the conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759/65 "2011-01-11T21:32:29Z")
I don’t ask other people, if just because it rarely comes up. Well, no, that’s not quite right. I don’t ask other ADULTS. I’ll certainly ask kids, because sometimes it’s relevant for my work, and most of them are all too eager to tell me that they’re 6 years old. As for being asked, I don’t mind. I used to get the “you look 16!” bit (I’m 23), but since I’ve gotten a super short haircut, I probably look my age now. ---
**Author:** ![Flipshod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f19dbf/32.png) [@Flipshod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flipshod)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759/66 "2011-01-11T23:36:02Z")
Wow. I thought the only people who were offended by talking about age were old ladies in the 1950s. 😉 It doesn’t come up that much, but I freely ask and answer if it does. (And it has more lately since I remarried a woman 9 years my junior.) I’m 44 but people guess mid 30s, and I got carded for alcohol from time to time. (15 days sober, so I use the past tense). Seeing that it offends some people, maybe I should be more careful. That said I would never ask to insinuate incompetence or anything. It’s just a topic that helps you understand what the other person’s experiences are likely to have been. Like the example above about getting cultural references from the 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759/67 "2011-01-11T23:52:37Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > I have no problem answering the question. I hesitate before asking it, since it seems to offend some people. This. It usually occurs to me when I’m trying to get a “pop culture” age, so the conversation makes sense. I often find that referring to “Convoy” with the young law clerks gets me nothing but blank stares. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ask-people-their-age-do-you-not-like-to-answer-that-question-yourself/356759.md?page=3)