¿Cuántos años tienes?
The English phrase "how old are you?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Cuántos años tienes?
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿Cuántos años tienes? literally translates to "How many years do you have?"
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to an elder or in a formal context to show respect, use the form ¿Cuántos años tiene usted?
What mistakes should you avoid?
Instead, you must use the verb tener (to have).
Did you know?
- If you want to ask how old someone is becoming, you use the verb cumplir. For example, Cumplió quince años means 'He turned fifteen'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿Cuántos años tienes? to a stranger or an older person can be seen as quite rude or intrusive. It is often considered a very private matter.
- The word años is a cognate of the English word 'annual'. Both derive from the Latin word annus, which refers to the cycle of a year.
Examples in context
- Perdón, señor. ¿Cuántos años tiene?Excuse me, sir. How old are you?
- Disculpe, señora. ¿Cuál es su edad?Excuse me, ma'am. What is your age?
- Oye, ¿cuántos años tienes?Hey, how old are you?
- Amigo, ¿qué edad tienes?Friend, what age do you have?
- Disculpe, ¿cuántos años tiene usted?Excuse me, how old are you?
Example conversation
Two classmates are talking during a break.
- MateoHola, me llamo Mateo.Hello, my name is Mateo.
- ElenaHola, soy Elena.Hello, I am Elena.
- MateoMucho gusto, Elena, ¿cuántos años tienes?Nice to meet you, Elena, how old are you?
- ElenaTengo veinte años.I am twenty years old.
