ton âge
In French, "you age" is translated as ton âge.
This phrase refers to the number of years a person has lived. When speaking about age in French, it is important to note that you use the verb avoir (to have) rather than être (to be). To state how old you are, you use the construction J'ai X ans (I am X years old), employing cardinal numbers to specify the age.
Which one should you use?
The form ton âge is used when addressing one person informally. In a formal context or when addressing a group of people, you should use votre âge instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ton âge uses the possessive adjective ton to match the informal singular address. In contrast, the formal or plural version is votre âge.
Did you know?
- In France, asking quel âge as-tu ? to an adult you do not know well can be perceived as an intrusive or impolite question. It is often considered more tactful to let the other person volunteer the information.
- French has a specific term, le troisième âge, which literally means 'the third age'. It is used as a polite, euphemistic way to refer to seniors or retirees.
- The word âge is a linguistic survivor that displaced the direct descendant of the Latin word 'aetātem' in favor of an older, Vulgar Latin form.
Examples in context
- J'ai vingt-cinq ans.I am twenty-five years old.
- J'ai trente ans.I am thirty years old.
- J'ai dix-neuf piges.I'm nineteen years old.
- Je ne connais pas ton âge.I don't know your age.
- Dis-moi, quel est ton âge ?Tell me, what is your age?
- Ton âge n'est pas important ici.Your age is not important here.
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are filling out a form for a club.
- LucasLéa, j'ai oublié de noter ton âge.Léa, I forgot to write down your age.
- LéaOh, j'ai dix-huit ans.Oh, I am eighteen years old.
- LucasMerci, je l'ajoute sur le papier.Thanks, I'll add it to the paper.
- LéaC'est parfait, merci Lucas.That's perfect, thank you Lucas.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ton, âge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
