quel âge j'ai
In French, "how old i am" is expressed as quel âge j'ai.
This phrase is used to state or ask about one's own age. When talking about age in French, you use a construction that involves the verb avoir (to have) rather than the verb être (to be).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase quel âge j'ai literally translates to "what age I have."
How does it change in a sentence?
Depending on how you structure your question, the phrase can change. For a direct question, you can use the inverted form quel âge ai-je ? or use the phrase with est-ce que to say quel âge est-ce que j'ai ?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use the verb être (to be) by saying quel âge je suis. In French, you must always use the verb avoir to express age.
Did you know?
- Because age is expressed with avoir, French speakers use the same verb to express hunger j'ai faim and thirst j'ai soif.
- The word 'âge' evolved from the Old French 'aage' or 'eage', which actually displaced the original Latin term for age.
- In very formal or literary French, the inverted form quel âge ai-je ? is common, but in casual speech, people often just say j'ai quel âge ? with a rising intonation.
Examples in context
- Je ne sais pas quel âge j'ai.I don't know how old I am.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of knowledge about one's own age using quel âge j'ai.Tatoeba #2070734 by sacredceltic, translation #1887240 by CK
- Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous me dire comment indiquer mon âge de façon formelle ?Excuse me, could you tell me how to indicate my age formally?
- Je voudrais connaître la façon correcte de dire mon âge de manière formelle.I would like to know the correct way to say my age formally.
- Pourriez-vous m'indiquer comment mentionner mon âge de manière professionnelle ?Could you indicate how to mention my age professionally?
- Tu as quel âge ?How old are you?
- Quel âge est-ce que tu as ?How old are you?
- J'ai dix-sept ans.I am seventeen years old.
- Il ne comprend pas quel âge j'ai.He does not understand how old I am.
- Dis-moi quel âge j'ai dans ce jeu.Tell me how old I am in this game.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are looking at an old childhood photo.
- ChloéRegarde cette photo ! Tu te souviens quel âge j'ai ?Look at this photo! Do you remember how old I am?
- GabrielJe pense que tu avais cinq ans.I think you were five years old.
- ChloéNon, j'avais peut-être six ans.No, maybe I was six.
- GabrielC'est vrai, tu as grandi vite.That's true, you grew up fast.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries j'ai, quel, âge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
