vent'anni
The English phrase "twenty years" is translated into Italian as vent'anni.
vent'anni is used to describe a period of time lasting two decades.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a contraction of venti (twenty) and anni (years).
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase vent'anni, the word venti drops its final vowel and uses an apostrophe because the following word anni begins with a vowel.
Did you know?
- In Italian, you do not 'be' twenty years old, but rather you 'have' them using the verb avere. An Italian speaker would literally say ho vent'anni, meaning 'I have twenty years'.
- When talking about a twenty-year-old person, Italians use the noun ventenne. This single word replaces the need to say una persona di vent'anni.
- When counting years in Italian, if you say 'twenty years' as part of a larger number, like 'twenty-one years', the contraction vent'anni disappears and you must use the full form ventuno anni.
Examples in context
- Il gatto ha vent'anni.The cat is twenty years old.This sentence shows how to use vent'anni to express the age of an animal.Tatoeba #2168544 by Guybrush88, translation #2168543 by shekitten
- Sono già passati vent'anni.Twenty years already passed.This sentence uses vent'anni to describe time that has already elapsed.Tatoeba #11373474 by Guybrush88, translation #51900 by CM
- Penso che tu abbia vent'anni.I think that you are twenty years old.This sentence uses vent'anni within a thought regarding a person's age.Tatoeba #2068295 by Guybrush88, translation #1738691 by belgavox
- Siamo amici da venti anni!We've been friends for twenty years!
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are talking about an old friendship.
- LorenzoCi conosciamo da vent'anni, vero?We've known each other for twenty years, right?
- ChiaraSì, sembra ieri!Yes, it seems like yesterday!
- LorenzoIl tempo vola dopo vent'anni.Time flies after twenty years.
- ChiaraHai ragione, Lorenzo.You're right, Lorenzo.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
