A comprehensive overview of French vocabulary related to talking about age, including numbers, common phrases, and age-related expressions.

Talking about age is a fundamental part of everyday conversation, and French has its own set of vocabulary and expressions to make this easy. This guide will take you through the essential words and phrases you need to confidently discuss age in French, from asking someone’s age to talking about birth years and describing age-related milestones.

Numbers for Ages

French uses cardinal numbers to state age. Here are the essential number words you’ll need, from 1 to 20, plus key milestones.

French Number	English Number	French Example	English Example
un	one	J’ai un an.	I am one year old.
deux	two	Elle a deux ans.	She is two years old.
trois	three	Il a trois ans.	He is three years old.
quatre	four	J’ai quatre ans.	I am four years old.
cinq	five	Elle a cinq ans.	She is five years old.
six	six	Il a six ans.	He is six years old.
sept	seven	J’ai sept ans.	I am seven years old.
huit	eight	Elle a huit ans.	She is eight years old.
neuf	nine	Il a neuf ans.	He is nine years old.
dix	ten	J’ai dix ans.	I am ten years old.
onze	eleven	Elle a onze ans.	She is eleven years old.
douze	twelve	Il a douze ans.	He is twelve years old.
treize	thirteen	J’ai treize ans.	I am thirteen years old.
quatorze	fourteen	Elle a quatorze ans.	She is fourteen years old.
quinze	fifteen	Il a quinze ans.	He is fifteen years old.
seize	sixteen	J’ai seize ans.	I am sixteen years old.
dix-sept	seventeen	Elle a dix-sept ans.	She is seventeen years old.
dix-huit	eighteen	Il a dix-huit ans.	He is eighteen years old.
dix-neuf	nineteen	J’ai dix-neuf ans.	I am nineteen years old.
vingt	twenty	Elle a vingt ans.	She is twenty years old.

Asking and Saying Age

Here are common questions and answers for talking about age in French, including polite ways to ask someone’s age.

French Phrase	English Phrase	French Example	English Example
Quel âge as-tu ?	How old are you?	Quel âge as-tu ?	How old are you?
Quel âge avez-vous ?	How old are you? (formal/plural)	Quel âge avez-vous, Madame ?	How old are you, ma’am?
J’ai … ans.	I am … years old.	J’ai quinze ans.	I am fifteen years old.
Elle a … ans.	She is … years old.	Elle a vingt ans.	She is twenty years old.
Il a … ans.	He is … years old.	Il a dix-sept ans.	He is seventeen years old.
Tu as quel âge ?	What age are you? (informal)	Tu as quel âge, Julien ?	How old are you, Julien?
Nous avons … ans.	We are … years old.	Nous avons seize ans.	We are sixteen years old.

___ âge avez-vous ?

What is the formal French question for 'How old are you?'

Qu'est

Quel

Qui

Comment

Quel

The formal (or plural) question is 'Quel âge avez-vous ?' using 'vous' and the correct question word 'Quel'.

Talking About Birth Year

Instead of just stating age, you can also say the year you were born using the verb "naître" (to be born).

French Phrase	English Phrase	French Example	English Example
Je suis né(e) en …	I was born in …	Je suis né(e) en 2005.	I was born in 2005.
Il est né en …	He was born in …	Il est né en 1999.	He was born in 1999.
Elle est née en …	She was born in …	Elle est née en 2010.	She was born in 2010.
Nous sommes nés en …	We were born in …	Nous sommes nés en 2008.	We were born in 2008.
Tu es né(e) quand ?	When were you born?	Tu es né(e) quand ?	When were you born?

Age-Related Milestones

French has special vocabulary for certain life stages and milestones.

French Word	English Word	French Example	English Example
bébé	baby	Le bébé a six mois.	The baby is six months old.
enfant	child	L’enfant a huit ans.	The child is eight years old.
adolescent(e)	teenager	Je suis adolescent(e).	I am a teenager.
adulte	adult	Elle est adulte à 18 ans.	She is an adult at 18 years old.
sénior	senior	Il est sénior maintenant.	He is a senior now.
mineur(e)	minor	Je suis mineur(e).	I am a minor.
majeur(e)	adult	Elle est majeure à 18 ans.	She is an adult at 18 years old.

Age Expressions

These common expressions include age-related idioms and phrases.

French Expression	English Expression	French Example	English Example
avoir … ans	to be … years old	J’ai dix ans.	I am ten years old.
être âgé de … ans	to be … years old	Elle est âgée de vingt ans.	She is twenty years old.
passer l’âge de …	to be too old for …	Il a passé l’âge de jouer.	He’s too old to play.
à l’âge de …	at the age of …	À l’âge de dix-huit ans, elle a voyagé.	At eighteen, she traveled.
avoir l’âge de raison	to be of age (around 7)	L’enfant a l’âge de raison.	The child is of age.

In French, which verb is used to talk about age?

être

avoir

faire

aller

avoir

French uses the verb 'avoir' (to have) to express age, e.g., 'J'ai dix ans.'

Summary

Talking about age in French involves:

Using cardinal numbers with "avoir … ans" (to be … years old)
Asking questions like "Quel âge as-tu ?" or "Quel âge avez-vous ?"
Talking about birth years with "naître" (to be born)
Knowing vocabulary for life stages (bébé, enfant, adolescent, adulte)
Using common expressions to describe or refer to age more naturally

With these building blocks, you’ll be ready to talk about age anytime in French!

Flashcards (1 of 44)

English Number: one
English Example: I am one year old.

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Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025

French

Talking Age