idade
/iˈda.d͡ʒi/feminine
In Portuguese, the word for "age" is idade.
idade refers to the amount of time since the birth of a being or the beginning of a thing. While you can use the noun to discuss age, you often express how old someone is by using the verb ter (to have) followed by the number of years.
Meaning: amount of time since the birth of a being or the beginning of a thing (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, the phrase Qual é a tua idade? is commonly used to ask for someone's age.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
idade is a feminine noun, meaning it is used with feminine articles and adjectives.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /iˈda.dʒi/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use sou (the verb ser) to state their age. In Portuguese, you must use tenho (the verb ter) instead.
When do people say it?
To ask "How old are you?" in Portuguese, the common phrase is Quantos anos tem? To say "Tell me" informally, you can use Me diz aí.
Did you know?
- The word idade shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'age', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'vital energy'.
- Portuguese uses idade to refer to historical eras, such as the Idade Média for the 'Middle Ages'.
- In many Portuguese-speaking contexts, asking Qual é a tua idade? can feel more clinical or detached than asking Quantos anos tens?, which is the warmer, more natural way to inquire about someone's years.
Examples in context
- Tenho a sua idade.I'm your age.This sentence shows how to say "I'm your age" using idade.Tatoeba #5830928 by bill, translation #5829209 by CK
- Qual é a sua idade?What is your age?This sentence is a formal way to ask "What is your age?" using idade.Tatoeba #1146672 by tulio, translation #389935 by blay_paul
- Ele mentiu a idade.He lied about his age.This sentence demonstrates using idade to say someone lied about their age.Tatoeba #5392477 by bill, translation #302358 by CK
- Eu tenho vinte anos.I am twenty years old.
- 293 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felipe and Mariana are chatting about their siblings.
- FelipeA minha irmã tem a mesma idade que você.My sister is the same age as you.
- MarianaSério? Eu tenho vinte e cinco anos.Really? I am twenty-five years old.
- FelipeEla também tem vinte e cinco!She is twenty-five too!
- MarianaQue coincidência legal, Felipe.What a cool coincidence, Felipe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “age” translations and entries idade, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries idade, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
