Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| edad | /eˈdad/ | feminine |
| etario | /eˈtaɾjo/ | adjective |
Edad is a noun referring to the amount of time since the birth of a being or the beginning of a thing. While 'edad' can be used to ask for a person's age, in natural conversation, Spanish speakers almost always use the verb 'tener' (to have) followed by the number of years (años) to state how old someone is.
Which one should you use?
Edad is a feminine noun, whereas etario is an adjective.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 'edad' is feminine, so it is used with the feminine article 'la'.
How do you pronounce it?
/eˈdad/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb 'ser' (to be) to express age, but in Spanish, you must use 'tener' (to have).
When do people say it?
In Spanish, it is important to include the word "años" after the number to indicate age. The word 'años' is the most common way to express age in spoken Spanish, typically used in the structure 'tener [number] años'.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word edad is a direct linguistic relative of the English words 'eternity' and 'eon'.
- The word etario is primarily used in technical, sociological or medical contexts, such as 'grupo etario' for 'age group'.
- Spanish uses the word edad to describe geological and historical periods, such as la Edad Media for the Middle Ages.
Examples in context
- Yo tenía tu edad.I was your age.This example shows how to express being a certain age using edad.Tatoeba #1187289 by Shishir, translation #1410127 by al_ex_an_der
- ¿Cuál es tu edad?What is your age?This example shows how to ask for someone's age using edad.Tatoeba #1469844 by marcelostockle, translation #389935 by blay_paul
- Él tiene mi edad.He's the same age as I am.This example shows how to say someone is the same age as someone else using edad.Tatoeba #11838481 by Seael, translation #11838479 by Pfirsichbaeumchen
- Tengo veintidós años.I am twenty-two years old.
- Tengo treinta y cinco años.I am thirty-five years old.
- 281 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are filling out a form at a clinic.
- AlejandroMaría, no pusiste tu edad en el papel.María, you didn't put your age on the paper.
- MaríaTienes razón, lo olvidé por completo.You're right, I completely forgot.
- Alejandro¿Cuál es tu edad exacta ahora?What is your exact age now?
- MaríaTengo veintiocho años, Alejandro.I am twenty-eight years old, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “age” translations and entries edad, etario, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries edad, etario, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
