Describing Age in French: Essential Phrases and Vocabulary

In French, discussing age involves some key differences from English.

This guide will walk you through the essential phrases and vocabulary you need to confidently talk about age in French conversations.

Expressing Exact Age

In French, we use the verb avoir (to have) to state someone's exact age, rather than the verb "to be" as in English. Here's the structure:

[Subject] + avoir (conjugated) + [number] + ans

For example:

• J'ai vingt-cinq ans. (I am twenty-five years old.)
• Elle a quarante ans. (She is forty years old.)
• Ils ont dix ans. (They are ten years old.)

Remember, "ans" means "years" in this context and is always plural.

Using Age-Related Adjectives

For more general descriptions of age, French uses the verb être (to be) with various adjectives. Here are some common age-related adjectives:

| French | English | |--------|---------| | jeune | young | | adulte | adult | | âgé(e) | aged | | vieux/vieille | old |

Examples:

• Mon frère est jeune. (My brother is young.)
• Mes grands-parents sont âgés. (My grandparents are elderly.)

Age Groups and Life Stages

French has specific terms for different age groups and life stages:

| French | English | |--------|---------| | bébé | baby | | enfant | child | | adolescent(e) | teenager | | jeune adulte | young adult | | d'âge moyen | middle-aged | | personne âgée | elderly person |

Useful Phrases for Discussing Age

Here are some practical phrases you can use when talking about age in French:

1. Quel âge as-tu ? (How old are you? - informal)
2. Quel âge avez-vous ? (How old are you? - formal)
3. Il a l'air jeune pour son âge. (He looks young for his age.)
4. Elle fait plus vieille que son âge. (She looks older than her age.)
5. Je viens d'avoir trente ans. (I just turned thirty.)

Age-Related Expressions

French has some idiomatic expressions related to age:

1. Avoir l'âge de raison (To be old enough to know right from wrong)
2. Être dans la fleur de l'âge (To be in the prime of life)
3. Ne pas faire son âge (To not look one's age)
4. Prendre de l'âge (To grow old)
5. Avoir un certain âge (To be of a certain age - polite way to say someone is old)

Practice Exercises

To help solidify your understanding, try these exercises:

1. Translate: "I am 18 years old."
2. How would you ask someone their age politely?
3. Describe a 45-year-old person using an appropriate French adjective.
4. Express that your grandmother doesn't look her age in French.
5. Use an idiomatic expression to say someone is in their prime.

Answers:

1. J'ai dix-huit ans.
2. Quel âge avez-vous ?
3. Il/Elle est d'âge moyen.
4. Ma grand-mère ne fait pas son âge.
5. Il/Elle est dans la fleur de l'âge.

Conclusion

Mastering age-related vocabulary and phrases is crucial for natural French conversations. Practice these expressions regularly to become more fluent in discussing age.

The key difference: use "avoir" for exact age and "être" with adjectives for general age descriptions.

For more interactive practice on this topic, leçon.ai offers personalized exercises tailored to your French level.

Our AI-powered platform can generate custom dialogues and provide real-time feedback to help you master age-related expressions in French.