Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Eric Huang]

Hi teachers,

I'm Eric and I come from Taiwan.

I know it's not polite to ask someone's salary no matter

people who live in Western or Easter countries.

However,I'd like to know whether there is an implied way

to ask someone's salary.

Thanks a lot

[pugachevV]

Some people will happily tell you what they earn; some will not. In North America people are more open about such things. In England they are not.
There is no foolproof way to find out what people earn. You might be able to elicit a vague response, such as "six figures" or "somewhere between A and B".
My advice would be to avoid the subject until you really get to know someone.
If you are applying for a job you are entitled to ask what it pays.