Saying your age
Sein Alter sagen
- Asking somebody's age
- Say how old you are and when your birthday is
- Position of the verb in the sentence
Learn essential German phrases and grammar to talk about your age and birthdays. Practice asking and answering questions like 'Wie alt bist du?' and 'Wann hast du Geburtstag?' with practical dialogues, verb conjugation tables, and exercises focused on verb position. Suitable for A1 level learners.
Vocabulary (16) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Assign the following words to the two appropriate categories.
Alter und Angaben zum Alter
Geburtstag und Feiern
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Jung
Young
2
Der Kuchen
The cake
3
Alt
Old
4
Feiern
To celebrate
5
Ich bin ... Jahre alt.
I am ... years old.
Übung 5: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- Say the name and age of each person in the image. (Say the name and age of each person in the image.)
- Say your own age. (Say your own age.)
- Ask the others about their age. (Ask the others about their age.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Die Frau heißt Hannah und sie ist zweiunddreißig Jahre alt. The woman's name is Hannah and she is thirtytwo years old. |
|
Das Mädchen ist siebzehn Jahre alt. The girl is seventeen years old. |
|
Das Kind ist sechs Jahre alt. The child is six years old. |
|
Die Großmutter ist neunundachtzig Jahre alt. The grandmother is eightynine years old. |
|
Ich bin dreißig Jahre alt. I am thirty years old. |
|
Wie alt bist du? How old are you? |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. ___ alt bist du?
(___ old are you?)2. Ich ___ 30 Jahre alt.
(I ___ 30 years old.)3. Wir ___ deinen Geburtstag im Juli.
(We ___ your birthday in July.)4. Ich ___ das Geschenk vor.
(I ___ the gift.)Exercise 8: My Birthday Is Celebrated
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Werden - to become
Präsens
- ich werde
- du wirst
- er/sie/es wird
- wir werden
- ihr werdet
- sie/Sie werden
Vorbereiten - to prepare
Präsens
- ich bereite
- du bereitest
- er/sie/es bereitet
- wir bereiten
- ihr bereitet
- sie/Sie bereiten
Feiern - to celebrate
Präsens
- ich feiere
- du feierst
- er/sie/es feiert
- wir feiern
- ihr feiert
- sie/Sie feiern
Sein - to be
Präteritum
- ich war
- du warst
- er/sie/es war
- wir waren
- ihr wart
- sie/Sie waren
Sein - to be
Präsens
- ich bin
- du bist
- er/sie/es ist
- wir sind
- ihr seid
- sie/Sie sind
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Werden to become Share Copied!
prasens
| German | English |
|---|---|
| (ich) werde | I become |
| (du) wirst | you become |
| (er/sie/es) wird | he/she/it becomes |
| (wir) werden | we become |
| (ihr) werdet | you become |
| (sie) werden | they become |
Feiern to celebrate Share Copied!
prasens
| German | English |
|---|---|
| (ich) feiere | I celebrate |
| (du) feierst | You celebrate |
| (er/sie/es) feiert | he/she/it celebrates |
| (wir) feiern | we celebrate |
| (ihr) feiert | you celebrate |
| (sie) feiern | they celebrate |
Vorbereiten to prepare Share Copied!
prasens
| German | English |
|---|---|
| (ich) bereite vor | I prepare |
| (du) bereitest vor | You prepare |
| (er/sie/es) bereitet vor | he/she/it prepares |
| (wir) bereiten vor | we prepare |
| (ihr) bereitet vor | you prepare |
| (sie) bereiten vor | they prepare |
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Learn How to Say Your Age and Talk About Birthdays in German
In this lesson, you will master useful expressions to ask and tell about your age, as well as discuss birthdays and celebrations. You will learn important vocabulary such as "das Alter" (age), "alt" (old), "jung" (young), "der Geburtstag" (birthday), "die Party" (party), and "der Kuchen" (cake).
Key Phrases and Sentence Structures
You will practice common questions like "Wie alt bist du?" (How old are you?) and responding with "Ich bin 25 Jahre alt." (I am 25 years old). We also cover how to discuss when your birthday is, for example, "Wann hast du Geburtstag?" (When is your birthday?) and replies like "Mein Geburtstag ist im Mai." (My birthday is in May).
Practical Dialogues for Everyday Situations
This lesson includes dialogues set in realistic contexts such as at the office, parties, and cafes, helping you confidently ask and answer questions about age and birthdays in polite or casual conversations.
Grammar and Sentence Order
An important focus is on verb position in German sentences, illustrated through exercises where you reorder sentences and fill in gaps to strengthen your understanding of how verbs fit naturally in statements and questions.
Verb Conjugation Tables
You will also find verb conjugation tables for commonly used verbs like werden (to become), feiern (to celebrate), and sein (to be), to help you form correct sentences and tell stories about birthdays and age.
Bonus: A Short Story with Gaps
To practice your new vocabulary and grammar, there is a mini story about celebrating a birthday with important verbs highlighted, with gaps for you to fill in and reinforce your learning.
Instruction vs. German Language Notes
In German, asking someone's age uses the question "Wie alt bist du?" literally meaning "How old are you?" which corresponds closely to English but with different word order and verb placement. Remember that in German, the verb comes second in statements and first in yes/no questions, but in questions like these, the question word leads. Also, birthdays are often discussed with the phrase "Wann hast du Geburtstag?" (When do you have birthday?), which contrasts with English "When is your birthday?" The verb haben (to have) is used rather than "to be." Understanding these small but important differences helps you sound natural and polite in conversation.
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