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 tell your age and birthday dates in French using key expressions like « Quel âge as-tu ? » and « Est-ce que tu fêtes ton anniversaire ? ». Master vocabulary about age (l'âge, jeune, vieux) and birthday celebrations (anniversaire, gâteau, cadeau, 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!
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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 |
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Lesson Overview: Saying Your Age in French
This lesson focuses on basic expressions and vocabulary related to talking about age and birthdays in French. The content is suitable for A1 beginners who are learning how to ask and answer questions about age and birthdays, including important question words and common verbs related to celebrations.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
- Interrogative phrases: Quel âge as-tu ? (How old are you?), Est-ce que tu fêtes ton anniversaire ? (Do you celebrate your birthday?)
- Important nouns: l'âge (age), l'anniversaire (birthday), le gâteau (cake), le cadeau (gift), la fête (party)
- Age expressions: Saying your age with J’ai ... ans (I am ... years old), and fractions like un an et demi (one and a half years old)
Useful Verbs for the Topic
- préparer (to prepare)
- fêter (to celebrate)
- dire (to say)
- avoir used in age expressions (to have/to be age-wise)
Asking Questions About Age and Birthdays
French commonly uses quel for asking "which" or "what" in relation to age: Quel âge as-tu ? meaning "How old are you?" The polite form is Quel âge avez-vous ?
The phrase Est-ce que is used to form yes/no questions, for example: Est-ce que tu fêtes ton anniversaire ? means "Do you celebrate your birthday?"
Example Sentences
- 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 prépares un gâteau pour ta fête ? (Are you preparing a cake for your party?)
- Elle a un an et demi et elle aime son cadeau. (She is one and a half years old and she likes her gift.)
Vocabulary Grouping for Better Understanding
To help you remember the vocabulary, divide words into two categories:
Age-related Vocabulary
- l'âge
- j'ai ... ans
- jeune (young)
- vieux (old)
- une année (a year)
Birthday and Celebration Vocabulary
- l'anniversaire
- le gâteau
- le cadeau
- fêter (to celebrate)
Highlighted Differences Between English and French
Unlike English, French expresses age using the verb avoir (to have) rather than être (to be), for example J’ai vingt ans means "I am twenty years old" literally "I have twenty years."
Asking questions can involve inversion, e.g. Quel âge as-tu ? (What age have you?), or the use of Est-ce que for yes/no questions.
Remember that some French question words agree in gender and number, such as quel (to agree with masculine singular noun like âge).
Practical Tips
Practice using simple question forms with your classmates or colleagues to ask about their age or birthday dates. Use the verbs presented to form sentences about preparations and celebrations.
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