j'ai douze ans
In French, "I am twelve years old" is said as j'ai douze ans.
This phrase is used to communicate your current age.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I have twelve years".
Which one should you use?
While j'ai douze ans is the standard way to state your age, you may encounter J'ai douze balais, which is an informal and playful expression or J'ai douze piges, which is a slang version used by French teenagers.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the age, you only need to replace the number douze with another number, such as onze (eleven) or treize (thirteen).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say je suis douze ans by using the verb "to be" (être).
Did you know?
- The playful expression J'ai douze balais uses the word for 'brooms' to represent 'years'.
- The word douze is a linguistic relative of the English word 'dozen'. Both share a common ancestor in the Latin word duodecim, which literally means 'two plus ten'.
- The slang word piges used by teenagers comes from the word for 'stems' or 'stalks' of plants. It is used to count years of experience or age in a gritty or street-style way.
Examples in context
- J'ai douze ans.I am twelve years old.This sentence is useful for stating your age using j'ai douze ans.Tatoeba #2069123 by Eldad, translation #4353654 by Tjagotje
- Lorsque quelqu'un vous demande votre âge, vous pouvez répondre avec respect: "J'ai douze ans".When someone asks you for your age, you can respond politely: "J'ai douze ans."
- Tu peux dire à tes amis proches: "J'ai douze piges!"You can say to your close friends: "J'ai douze piges!"
- J'ai douze ans maintenant.I am twelve years old now.
- Je te l'ai dit, j'ai douze ans.I told you, I am twelve years old.
Example conversation
Two young students are talking during a school break.
- LéaTu as quel âge, Hugo ?How old are you, Hugo?
- HugoJ'ai onze ans, et toi ?I am eleven, and you?
- LéaMoi, j'ai douze ans.Me, I am twelve years old.
- HugoAh, tu es plus grande que moi !Ah, you are older than me!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries douze, j'ai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
