j'ai cet âge
To say "I am this old" in French, use j'ai cet âge.
The phrase is used to state one's current age. The phrase J'ai [age] ans. is a common way to say "I am [age] years old."
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase j'ai cet âge literally translates to "I have this age".
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb être (to be) to state age, but in French, you must use avoir (to have).
Did you know?
- In very formal or literary French, one might encounter the expression être âgé de, which actually uses the verb 'to be' instead of 'to have'.
- While French uses avoir (to have) for age, other Romance languages like Spanish and Italian also use avoir equivalents, but English is the outlier by using 'to be'.
- The demonstrative cet used in this phrase originates from the Vulgar Latin words 'ecce' and 'iste'. This combines 'ecce' (look/behold) and 'iste' (that), creating a linguistic tool to point out a specific thing.
Examples in context
- J'ai 25 ansI am 25 years old.
- Je suis âgé(e) de 30 ansI am aged 30 years.
- J'ai 35 pigesI am 35 years old.
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are comparing their ages during a conversation.
- LéaTu penses que je suis très jeune ?Do you think I am very young?
- HugoOui, tu as l'air d'avoir dix ans.Yes, you look like you are ten.
- LéaCe n'est pas vrai, j'ai cet âge !That's not true, I am this old!
- HugoAh, je ne savais pas, Léa.Ah, I didn't know, Léa.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cet, j'ai, âge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
