je suis vieux
In French, "I am old" is said as je suis vieux.
This phrase is used to state that a person has lived for many years.
Which one should you use?
The form je suis vieux is used by male speakers, whereas je suis vieille is used by female speakers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes based on the gender of the speaker. The word vieux is the masculine singular form of the adjective and is used by males. If the speaker is female, the adjective changes to the feminine singular form vieille, resulting in je suis vieille.
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are 'old' in terms of being 'experienced' or 'seasoned' in a skill, you might use the word vieux de la vieille, which translates literally to 'old of the old'.
- In France, calling someone vieux can be a term of endearment among close male friends, similar to calling a buddy 'old man' in English.
- The word vieux comes from the Latin 'vetulus', which is actually a diminutive of 'vetus', meaning it originally implied being 'somewhat old' or 'elderly'.
Examples in context
- Je suis vieux.I am old.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase je suis vieux.Tatoeba #1924562 by Zaghawa, translation #1547545 by CM
- Je suis vieux maintenant.I am old now.
- Je suis vieux, je ne peux plus courir.I am old, I can no longer run.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are sitting on a park bench talking about their health.
- HugoJe suis vieux, Manon.I am old, Manon.
- ManonMais non, Hugo, tu es encore jeune !But no, Hugo, you are still young!
- HugoJe suis vieux et fatigué.I am old and tired.
- ManonRepose-toi un peu alors.Rest a little then.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, suis, vieux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
