¿cuántos años tiene?
The English phrase "how old is she?" is translated into Spanish as ¿cuántos años tiene?
This phrase is used to ask about the age of a female person. Because the verb conjugation is gender-neutral, ¿Cuántos años tiene? can also mean "how old is he?" or "how old are you (formal)?"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "how many years does she have?" because Spanish uses the verb tener (to have) rather than the verb "to be" to express age.
Which one should you use?
You may also see ¿Qué edad tiene ella?, which can be used in both formal and informal situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word tiene uses the third-person singular of the verb tener. You can add the subject pronoun ella to the end of the phrase (¿cuántos años tiene ella?) for emphasis or clarity, but it is often omitted because the verb conjugation already implies the subject.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ¿cuántos años es ella? English speakers often mistakenly use the verb ser (to be) to ask age, but this is grammatically incorrect in Spanish.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking a woman her age directly can be considered impolite or intrusive unless you are close friends or family.
- The verb tener used in this phrase is also used to express hunger, thirst, and cold, treating these physical sensations as things one 'possesses'.
- In Spanish, you can use the verb cumplir to ask when someone's birthday is or when they will reach a certain age, as it literally means 'to complete' or 'to fulfill' the years.
Examples in context
- María, ¿cuántos años tiene ella?María, how old is she?
- Disculpe, ¿podría decirme su edad?Excuse me, could you tell me her age?
- Oye, ¿qué edad tiene ella?Hey, how old is she?
- Mi hermana es joven, ¿cuántos años tiene?My sister is young, how old is she?
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are talking about a new baby girl.
- ElenaMira que linda es la bebé.Look how cute the baby is.
- DanielSí, es muy tierna.Yes, she is very sweet.
- Elena¿Cuántos años tiene?How old is she?
- DanielTiene solo tres meses.She is only three months old.
