¿cuántos años tienen?
The phrase "how old are they?" in Spanish is translated as ¿cuántos años tienen?
This phrase is used to ask about the age of a group of people or a person using a gender-neutral pronoun.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "how many years do they have?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ¿cuántos años tienen? can refer to "they" or to the formal plural "you all" (ustedes).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb "ser" (to be) to ask age. Instead, you must use "tener" (to have) to express age, so avoid saying ¿cuántos años son?
Did you know?
- The verb tener used in this phrase is also used to express hunger, thirst, and fear, treating these physical and emotional states as things one possesses.
- While English uses the word 'old' to describe age, Spanish avoids using the adjective viejo when asking this question. Using viejo in this context would sound like you are asking how old or decrepit the people are.
- In many Spanish speaking cultures, asking ¿cuántos años tienen? to a group of adult women may be considered a social faux pas or an intrusive breach of etiquette.
Examples in context
- Tienen veinte años.They are twenty years old.
- No sé la edad de los alumnos, ¿cuántos años tienen?I don't know the students' age, how old are they?
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are talking about their new neighbors.
- JavierVi a tus nuevos vecinos en el parque.I saw your new neighbors in the park.
- LucíaSí, son muy amables.Yes, they are very kind.
- Javier¿Cuántos años tienen?How old are they?
- LucíaTienen unos treinta años.They are about thirty years old.
