Saying your age
Dire son âge
- Asking somebody's age
- Say how old you are and when your birthday is
- The interrogative words: "Est-ce que" and "Quel"
Learn to ask and say your age in French with key phrases like « Quel âge as-tu ? » (How old are you?) and expressions related to birthdays such as « l'anniversaire », « le gâteau », and « fêter ».
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (14) 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: Sort these words into two categories to better understand the vocabulary related to age and birthday parties.
Vocabulaire lié à l'âge
Vocabulaire lié à l'anniversaire et à la fête
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Vieux
Old
2
La fête
The party
3
Dire
To say
4
Le cadeau
The gift
5
Quel âge as-tu ?
How old are you?
Exercice 5: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- 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:
|
La femme s'appelle Hannah et elle a trente-deux ans. The woman's name is Hannah and she is thirtytwo years old. |
|
La fille a dix-sept ans. The girl is seventeen years old. |
|
L'enfant a six ans. The child is six years old. |
|
La grand-mère a quatre-vingt-neuf ans. The grandmother is eightynine years old. |
|
J'ai trente ans. I am thirty years old. |
|
Quel âge as-tu? 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. Je ______________ une fête pour mon anniversaire.
(I ______________ a party for my birthday.)2. Est-ce que tu ______________ ton anniversaire chaque année ?
(Do you ______________ your birthday every year?)3. Elle ______________ qu'elle a trente-cinq ans.
(She ______________ she is thirty-five years old.)4. Quel âge ______________ ?
(How old ______________?)Exercise 8: Julie's Birthday Party
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Préparer - Prepare
Présent
- je prépare
- tu prépares
- il/elle prépare
- nous préparons
- vous préparez
- ils/elles préparent
Célébrer - Celebrate
Présent
- je célèbre
- tu célèbres
- il/elle célèbre
- nous célébrons
- vous célébrez
- ils/elles célèbrent
Dire - Say
Présent
- je dis
- tu dis
- il/elle dit
- nous disons
- vous dites
- ils/elles disent
Fêter - Celebrate
Présent
- je fête
- tu fêtes
- il/elle fête
- nous fêtons
- vous fêtez
- ils/elles fêtent
Exercise 9: Les mots interrogatifs: "Est-ce que" et "Quel"
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The interrogative words: "Est-ce que" and "Quel"
Show translation Show answersQuel, Est-ce que, Quelle, Quelles, Quels
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A1.6.2 Grammaire
Les mots interrogatifs: "Est-ce que" et "Quel"
The interrogative words: "Est-ce que" and "Quel"
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Préparer to prepare Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je prépare | I prepare |
| tu prépares | you prepare |
| il/elle/on prépare | He/she/one prepares |
| nous préparons | we prepare |
| vous préparez | You prepare |
| ils/elles préparent | They prepare |
Célébrer to celebrate Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') présent (indicatif) | I celebrate |
| (tu) célèbre | you celebrate |
| (il/elle/on) célèbres | he/she/one celebrates |
| (nous) célèbre | we celebrate |
| (vous) célébrons | You celebrate |
| (ils/elles) célebrez | they celebrate |
Dire to say Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je dis / j'dis | I say / I say |
| tu dis | You say |
| (il/elle/on) il dit / elle dit / on dit | he says / she says / one says |
| nous disons | We say |
| vous dites | You say |
| (ils/elles) ils disent / elles disent | they say |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice French today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Saying Your Age in French
This lesson introduces basic vocabulary and expressions to talk about age and birthdays in French. It covers common question forms like Quel âge as-tu ? (How old are you?) and the use of Est-ce que to form yes/no questions. You will learn how to say your age, ask for someone's birthday, and discuss birthday celebrations.
Key Vocabulary
- l'âge – age
- Quel âge as-tu ? – How old are you?
- J'ai ... ans – I am ... years old
- l'anniversaire – birthday
- le gâteau – cake
- le cadeau – gift
- fêter – to celebrate
Important Grammar Points
This lesson focuses on forming questions with the interrogatives Quel and the question phrase Est-ce que. For example, Quel âge as-tu ? asks directly about age, while Est-ce que tu fêtes ton anniversaire en famille ? checks if you celebrate your birthday with family.
You will also see simple present tense verbs in action with daily vocabulary related to birthdays, such as préparer (prepare) and fêter (celebrate).
Useful Expressions and Examples
- Quel âge as-tu aujourd'hui ? – How old are you today?
- J’ai trente-cinq ans et mon anniversaire est en mai. – I am thirty-five years old and my birthday is in May.
- Est-ce que tu vas fêter ton anniversaire ce week-end ? – Are you going to celebrate your birthday this weekend?
- Elle a un an et demi et elle est très jeune. – She is one and a half years old and very young.
Differences between English and French on This Topic
In French, age is expressed using avoir (to have) rather than être (to be) as in English. For instance, J'ai vingt ans. literally means "I have twenty years," whereas in English we say "I am twenty years old." This is a key difference to remember when talking about age.
To ask questions, French often uses Quel (which/what) plus âge (age), and Est-ce que is a common way to introduce yes/no questions without changing word order. These forms help form gentle, polite questions about personal information like birthdates and ages.
Additional Useful Phrases
- Quel âge as-tu ? – How old are you?
- Est-ce que tu fêtes ton anniversaire ? – Do you celebrate your birthday?
- Quand est ton anniversaire ? – When is your birthday?
- Je vais avoir ... ans. – I am going to be ... years old.
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
