ho
The Italian phrase for "my age is" is ho, which is used to state how many years old a person is.
This phrase is used to express one's age. In Italian, you express age by stating that you "have" a certain number of years rather than saying you "are" a certain age.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ho literally translates to "I have."
How does it change in a sentence?
To state your age, you must follow the verb ho with a number and the noun anni (years), forming the structure ho … anni.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use sono (I am) to state their age.
Did you know?
- While ho expresses age in Italian, Spanish and French use the same 'having' logic with tengo and j'ai. This reflects a shared Romance language heritage that differs from the 'being' logic of English and German.
- Because the subject is built into the verb ho, you do not need to say 'io' (I) to clarify that you are talking about yourself.
- In very formal contexts, such as official documents, Italians may use the phrase l'età è di… (the age is…), moving closer to the English way of stating age.
Examples in context
- Ho 20 anni.I am 20 years old.
- Io ho venticinque anni.I am twenty-five years old.
- Ho trenta anni oggi.I am thirty years old today.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their birthdays during coffee.
- AlessandroQuanti anni hai?How old are you?
- ChiaraIo ho ventidue anni.I am twenty-two years old.
- AlessandroIo invece ho trenta anni.I, on the other hand, am thirty years old.
- ChiaraSei molto più grande di me!You are much older than me!
