{"id":119968,"date":"2023-03-31T21:28:42","date_gmt":"2023-04-01T01:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/age-in-french\/"},"modified":"2025-02-23T04:45:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T09:45:08","slug":"age-in-french","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/age-in-french\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Discuss Age in French"},"content":{"rendered":"

The idea of age seems simple and straightforward to most of us. But in French, it can be pretty complicated.<\/strong> Both socially and grammatically, discussing age in French can get quite tricky.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I\u2019m giving you this handy guide to navigate talking about age in French.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How to Ask About Age in French<\/h2>\n

There are two major rules to keep in mind when asking about age (\u00e2ge )\u00a0in French:<\/p>\n

Use avoir<\/em> (to have)<\/h3>\n

The most important thing to remember is that the French use the verb avoir<\/em><\/a> to express age.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As you probably remember, avoir<\/em> is the French verb \u201cto have.\u201d<\/p>\n

This means that when you ask someone\u2019s age, you\u2019re literally asking, \u201cWhat age do you have?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

This can be difficult to remember for English speakers, who use the verb \u201cto be\u201d when expressing age. (\u201cHow old\u00a0are<\/strong> you?\u201d)<\/p>\n

The first step to getting this right is memorizing the irregular conjugations of avoir:<\/em><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Subject<\/th>Conjugation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Je<\/td>ai<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tu<\/td>as<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il\/Elle\/On<\/td>a<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nous<\/td>avons<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vous<\/td>avez<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ils\/Elles<\/td>ont<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n

Now that you have your verb, let\u2019s look at how to put it into question form.<\/p>\n

Use inversion<\/h3>\n

Another important grammatical point to remember is that the French language often uses inversion to ask questions<\/a>.<\/strong> This means that the sentence is inverted so that the verb is before the subject.<\/p>\n

So if you want to ask someone\u2019s age, you\u2019d phrase the question like this:<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge as-tu ? <\/em> \u2014 How old are you? (Using the informal tu<\/em> form)<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge avez-vous ? <\/em> \u2014 How old are you? (Using the formal vous<\/em> form)<\/p>\n

Notice how the verb (in this case, as<\/em> or avez)<\/em> comes before the subject tu<\/em> or vous.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re asking about someone else\u2019s age in the third person,<\/strong> the same rules apply, with one special caveat. You have to insert a \u201ct\u201d in between the form of avoir<\/em> and the subject pronoun.<\/p>\n

Why? Because in French, words must flow effortlessly together. It\u2019d just be awkward to pause in between the two vowel sounds.<\/p>\n

The correct way to phrase a question like this is:<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge a-t-elle ? <\/em> \u2014 How old is she?<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge a-t-il ? <\/em> \u2014 How old is he?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re asking about a group, a question in the third person would look like this:<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge ont-ils ? <\/em> \u2014 How old are they? (for an all-male or mixed group)<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge ont-elles ? <\/em> \u2014 How old are they? (for an all-female group)<\/p>\n

And finally, you can ask about age in the first person. These questions aren\u2019t commonly heard, but they\u2019re still good to know:<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge ai-je ? <\/em> \u2014 How old am I?<\/p>\n

Quel \u00e2ge avons-nous ? <\/em> \u2014 How old are we?<\/p>\n

However, the French are by no means rigid when it comes to sentence structure.<\/p>\n

In casual conversation, you\u2019ll often hear questions phrased like sentences, with the subject first.<\/p>\n

For example, you might hear a French speaker say, \u201cTu as quel \u00e2ge ? \u201d<\/em> or \u201cVous avez quel \u00e2ge ? \u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

How to Express Age in French<\/h2>\n

Now that you know how to ask someone\u2019s age, here are a few pointers on how to tell someone your age, or someone else\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Once again, keep in mind that the French use forms of avoir<\/em> (to have) whenever they\u2019re expressing age.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say that you want to tell someone you\u2019re 29 years old (like a friend of mine has done for the last six years).<\/p>\n

Literally, the construction of the sentence translates as, \u201cI have 29 years.\u201d So, in French, you\u2019d say:<\/p>\n

J\u2019ai vingt-neuf ans. <\/em> \u2014 I\u2019m 29 years old.<\/p>\n

(Check out this article<\/a> if you need a refresher on French numbers.)<\/p>\n

To talk about anyone else\u2019s age, use the same construction, just substitute the correct pronoun and conjugation of avoir.<\/em> For example:<\/p>\n

Il a vingt-neuf ans. <\/em> \u2014 He\u2019s 29 years old.<\/p>\n

Elles ont vingt-neuf ans. <\/em> \u2014 They (female) are 29 years old.<\/p>\n

This brings us to another rule…<\/p>\n

Use ans<\/em> (years)<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s very important never to leave off the word ans<\/em> (years). While in English it\u2019s perfectly acceptable to drop the addition of \u201cyears old\u201d and just say \u201cI\u2019m 29,\u201d this simply doesn\u2019t work grammatically in French.<\/p>\n

Without the word ans,<\/em> you\u2019re simply saying \u201cI have 29.\u201d But, 29 what? Pets? Social media followers? Pairs of shoes?<\/p>\n

By adding ans,<\/em> you make it clear that you\u2019re talking about age.<\/p>\n

Careful, though: Don\u2019t get ans<\/em> mixed up with the other word for \u201cyears,\u201d ann\u00e9es.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This word for years is commonly used to reference a particular period of time (as in les ann\u00e9es quatre-vingt<\/em> \u2014 the 1980s, my favorite decade). It isn\u2019t used for age.<\/p>\n

Talking About Age in the Past<\/h2>\n

Perhaps you\u2019re not one of those lucky people who get to remain permanently immortalized at their favorite age.<\/p>\n

In this case, you may want to mention what age you\u00a0were<\/em> when something happened.<\/p>\n

Because this falls under the category of description, you should use the imperfect form<\/a> of avoir<\/em> to express an age from the past.<\/p>\n

Simply start with your imperfect stem, av-,<\/em> and go ahead and add the appropriate imperfect ending. To add more detail, add a clause beginning with the word quand<\/em> (when).<\/p>\n

For example:<\/p>\n

J\u2019avais<\/strong> douze ans quand… <\/em> \u2014 I\u00a0was<\/strong> twelve years old when…<\/p>\n

Mon fr\u00e8re\u00a0avait<\/strong> cinq ans quand… <\/em> \u2014 My brother\u00a0was<\/strong> five years old when…<\/p>\n

Words for Describing Age in French<\/h2>\n

Of course, there are many other words and phrases that can be used to describe a person if you don\u2019t know their exact age in years.<\/p>\n

Jeune <\/em> (young)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Helpfully, adjectives which describe age always go before the noun they describe, just like in English.<\/p>\n

une jeune fille <\/em> \u2014 a young girl<\/p>\n

Remember that if you\u2019re talking about a plural noun, you need to use the plural form of the adjective as well:<\/p>\n

les jeunes filles <\/em> \u2014 the young girls<\/p>\n

Note that with adjectives, unlike with ages, we use the verb \u00eatre<\/em> (to be)\u00a0rather than avoir<\/em> (to have), just like in English:<\/p>\n

Nous sommes jeunes <\/em> \u2014 We are young<\/p>\n

Vieux \/ Vieil \/ Vieille <\/em> (old)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The French word for \u201cold\u201d can be a bit trickier to use. It can be offensive when speaking of people (keep reading for some more polite alternatives), and it\u2019s also an example of an irregular adjective.<\/p>\n

You can use the masculine vieux<\/em> to describe a man, and the feminine vieille<\/em> to describe a woman. However, with masculine nouns that begin with a vowel sound, like homme<\/em> (man), you\u2019ll have to change vieux<\/em> to vieil.<\/em><\/p>\n

une vieille dame <\/em> \u2014\u00a0an old woman<\/p>\n

un vieil homme <\/em> \u2014 an old man<\/p>\n

un vieux monsieur <\/em> \u2014 an old man<\/p>\n

Another tricky rule: in the plural form, vieux<\/em> doesn\u2019t change at all:<\/p>\n

les vieilles dames <\/em> \u2014 the old women<\/p>\n

les vieux hommes <\/em> \u2014 the old men<\/p>\n

D\u2019\u00e2ge<\/span>\u00a0moyen <\/em> (middle-aged)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What about someone who\u2019s neither old nor young?<\/p>\n

The French don\u2019t have a precise translation for the word \u201cmiddle-aged.\u201d However, you can add the phrase d\u2019\u00e2ge moyen<\/em> (of medium age) if you want to convey the same idea.<\/p>\n

un homme d\u2019\u00e2ge moyen <\/em> \u2014 a middle-aged man<\/p>\n

Pas tr\u00e8s jeune <\/em> (not very young) \/ d\u2019un certain \u00e2ge <\/em> (of a certain age)<\/h3>\n

These are both polite ways to say someone is older without calling them \u201cold\u201d in a pejorative sense.<\/p>\n

Il n\u2019est pas tr\u00e8s jeune, mais il est fort ! <\/em> \u2014 He\u2019s not very young, but he is strong!<\/p>\n

D\u2019un certain \u00e2ge<\/em> is most often applied to women, though it can describe someone of any gender, and it implies a level of maturity and wisdom.<\/p>\n

Elle est une femme d\u2019un certain \u00e2ge. <\/em> \u2014 She\u2019s a woman of a certain age.<\/p>\n

Jeune d\u2019esprit <\/em> (young at heart)<\/h3>\n

This description translates literally to \u201cyoung of spirit,\u201d but you can use it the way you would use the English \u201cyoung at heart.\u201d It may apply to someone of any age (like that friend of mine who is definitely 29), but it\u2019s also a nice way to avoid saying someone is old.<\/p>\n

Plus \u00e2g\u00e9 <\/em> (older) and moins \u00e2g\u00e9 <\/em> (younger)<\/h3>\n

These two phrases are handy for making comparisons about age.<\/p>\n

They use the adjective \u00e2g\u00e9<\/em> (aged), plus the comparative words plus<\/em> (more) or moins<\/em> (less.) Remember that as with all adjectives, \u00e2g\u00e9<\/em> has to change to accord with its noun.<\/p>\n

Here are some examples:<\/p>\n

Je suis plus \u00e2g\u00e9e que ma soeur. <\/em> \u2014 I\u2019m older than my sister. (If the speaker is a woman)<\/p>\n

Elle est la moins \u00e2g\u00e9e de la classe. <\/em> \u2014 She\u2019s the youngest in the class.<\/p>\n

L\u2019anniversaire <\/em> (birthday)<\/h3>\n

We can\u2019t talk about age without talking about birthdays!<\/p>\n

The French word for \u201cbirthday\u201d is anniversaire.<\/em> It\u2019s true, this really is the word for \u201canniversary,\u201d but it makes sense. After all, a birthday is nothing more than the anniversary of the day you were born.<\/p>\n

(In case you\u2019re wondering, a wedding anniversary is called \u201cun anniversaire de mariage.\u201d)<\/em><\/p>\n

So to tell someone when your birthday is, you\u2019d simply say, \u201cMon anniversaire est le…\u201d <\/em> and end with the date. (Remember to express the date with the number first, then the month.)<\/p>\n

For example, let\u2019s say your birthday is July 14. You would say: \u201cMon anniversaire est le quatorze juillet.\u201d <\/p>\n

Grandir <\/em> (to grow up)<\/h3>\n

Refers to growing up in age, and also growing in size. At a child\u2019s birthday, an aunt or uncle might sigh:<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, les enfants. Ils grandissent vite !\u201d <\/em> \u2014 Ah, children. They grow up so fast!<\/p>\n

Vieillir <\/em> (to grow old\/older)<\/h3>\n

Again, you probably shouldn\u2019t tell someone they\u2019re looking older to their face. Nonetheless, if a friend asks you how your father is holding up, you might reply:<\/p>\n

Il a beaucoup vieilli. <\/em> \u2014 He\u2019s aged a lot.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Words for People at Different Life Stages in French<\/h2>\n

As in English, French has words for different life stages and for the people in them.<\/p>\n

L\u2019enfance <\/em> (childhood) and la jeunesse <\/em> (youth)<\/h3>\n

un nouveau-n\u00e9 <\/em> \u2014 a newborn<\/p>\n

un b\u00e9b\u00e9 <\/em> \u2014 a baby<\/p>\n

un enfant \/ une enfant <\/em> \u2014 a child (under 3 years)<\/p>\n

une fille <\/em> \u2014 a girl<\/p>\n

un gar\u00e7on <\/em> \u2014 a boy<\/p>\n

L\u2019adolescence <\/em> (adolescence)<\/h3>\n

un adolescent \/ une adolescente <\/em> \u2014 a teenager<\/p>\n

un ado \/<\/em> une ado <\/em>\u2014 a teen<\/p>\n

un jeune homme <\/em> \u2014 a young man<\/p>\n

une jeune fille <\/em> \u2014 a young woman<\/p>\n

L\u2019\u00e2ge adulte <\/em> (adulthood)<\/h3>\n

un adulte <\/em> \/ une adulte <\/em> \u2014 an adult<\/p>\n

un homme <\/em> \u2014 a man<\/p>\n

une femme <\/em> \u2014 a woman<\/p>\n

La vieillesse <\/em> (old age)<\/h3>\n

une personne \u00e2g\u00e9e <\/em> \u2014 an elderly person<\/p>\n

un s\u00e9nior <\/em> \u2014 a senior<\/p>\n

un ancien \/ une ancienne <\/em> \u2014 an elderly person (very old-fashioned)<\/p>\n

un vieux \/ une vieille <\/em> \u2014 an old person (pejorative)<\/p>\n

Should You Ask Someone\u2019s Age in French?<\/h2>\n

Now that you know how to ask someone\u2019s age in French, you might be wondering… should you ask at all?<\/p>\n

As we know, many people are sensitive about the topic of age<\/a>, and French people are no exception to this.<\/p>\n

To avoid offending anyone, it\u2019s best to not ask anyone their age unless you know them very well or are in a situation where you need to know.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s considered especially rude to ask this question of a woman if you\u2019re a man.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, if you have a comfortable relationship with someone and the subject comes up, you can ask as long as you use the correct version of \u201cyou.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re approaching the question of aging with fearless honesty or you intend to remain 39 years old forever, these little vocabulary tips should get you well on your way to having a meaningful conversation about age in French.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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The idea of age seems simple and straightforward to most of us. But in French, it can be pretty complicated. Both socially and grammatically, discussing age in French can get…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":418,"featured_media":251667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"How to Discuss Age in French | FluentU French Blog","description":"Age in French can be a challenging subject to talk about both grammatically and socially. With our comprehensive guide, we'll teach you how to say your age, how to ask others how old they are and how to describe people at different life stages in French. We'll even help you navigate some of the cultural sensitivities of talking about age in French. Click here to learn more!"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[570,571],"tags":[],"coauthors":[683],"class_list":["post-119968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-french","category-french-vocabulary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119968"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":242794,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119968\/revisions\/242794"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119968"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=119968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}