Quel âge as-tu ?
The English phrase "how old are you?" is translated into French as Quel âge as-tu ?
You can use several variations. Tu as quel âge ? is a common informal way to ask the question. For a colloquial approach, you might hear C'est quoi ton âge ? which translates to "What is your age?" If you want to be more indirect, you can use Je me demandais quel âge vous avez. to say "I was wondering how old you are.". If you need to be more formal, Puis-je vous demander quel âge vous avez ? translates to "May I ask how old you are?" and combining the question with a name inquiry as Comment vous appelez-vous et quel âge avez-vous ? is a polite and direct way to ask both.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Quel âge as-tu ? literally translates to "What age have you?" because French uses the verb avoir (to have) instead of être (to be) to express age.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on who you are addressing. Use Quel âge as-tu ? when speaking to a child, a peer or someone you know well. In casual spoken French, it is very common to use the word order Tu as quel âge ?
How does it change in a sentence?
Use Quel âge avez-vous ? when speaking to a stranger, an elder or a group of people.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Quel âge es-tu ? English speakers often mistakenly use the verb être (to be), but in French, you must use avoir (to have).
Did you know?
- In very formal French settings, asking someone's age is often considered an intrusive breach of etiquette, especially for adults. It is far more common to avoid the question entirely than in English-speaking cultures.
- Because French uses avoir for age, it also uses it for sensations like hunger j'ai faim or thirst j'ai soif. In these cases, you possess the feeling rather than being the feeling.
- The word âge comes from a Vulgar Latin ancestor, *aetāticum, which eventually displaced the direct Latin word for age, aetātem.
Examples in context
- Dis-moi, quel âge as-tu ?Tell me, how old are you?
Example conversation
Two teenagers are meeting for the first time at a party.
- ManonSalut, je m'appelle Manon. Quel âge as-tu ?Hi, my name is Manon. How old are you?
- GabrielJe m'appelle Gabriel et j'ai seize ans.My name is Gabriel and I am sixteen years old.
- ManonC'est super, j'ai le même âge !That's great, I'm the same age!
- GabrielEnchanté de te rencontrer, Manon.Nice to meet you, Manon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quel, âge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
