je suis plus âgé
The English phrase "I am older" is translated into French as je suis plus âgé.
This phrase is used to state that you have lived for a longer period of time than another person.
Which one should you use?
The phrase je suis plus vieux also means "I am older," but it is more direct and can sometimes sound blunt or even slightly rude depending on the context. In contrast, je suis plus âgé is a more polite and formal way to express the same idea.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the gender of the person speaking. If the speaker is female, the adjective must take an extra 'e' at the end, resulting in je suis plus âgée. When comparing yourself to someone else, you must use que after the phrase (for example, plus âgé que…).
Did you know?
- The word suis in je suis plus âgé was shaped by a linguistic mistake where the present tense was influenced by the past tense form fuī, meaning 'I was'.
- In French families, the oldest child is referred to as l'aîné. This term carries a specific social weight and set of expectations that the general phrase plus âgé does not convey.
- The word je traces its roots back to the Latin 'egō', which is the same linguistic ancestor as the English word 'egocentric'.
Examples in context
- Je suis plus âgé que vous.I am older than you.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to compare yourself to another person using je suis plus âgé.Tatoeba #8794078 by carlosalberto, translation #3041542 by CK
- Je suis plus âgée que vous.I am older than you
- Je suis plus âgé que lui.I am older than him.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A brother and sister are arguing about who makes the decisions.
- HugoÉcoute-moi, je suis plus âgé que toi.Listen to me, I am older than you.
- ManonCela ne change rien, Hugo.That changes nothing, Hugo.
- HugoC'est pourtant vrai.It is true, though.
- ManonCe n'est pas une raison suffisante.That is not a sufficient reason.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, plus, suis, âgé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
