10K+ students - 4.8/5
Learn with a teacher Learning materials included Practise conversation
This lesson explains how to express age in Polish using the noun forms rok, lata, lat with mieć. Learn to say phrases like "Moje dziecko ma rok" and "Mam 44 lata" correctly according to Polish grammar.
  1. A number ending in 1 (except 11) → year
  2. Numbers ending with 2–4 (except 12–14) → lata
  3. A number ending in 5–9, 0 or 11–14 → years
Forma rzeczownika (noun form)Przykład (Example)
rok (year)Moje dziecko ma rok. (My child is one year old.)
lata (years)Mam 44 lata. (I am 44 years old.)
lat (years)Mam 30 lat. (I am 30 years old.)

Exceptions!

  1. The word rok itself means "one", which is why the numeral "one" is not used.

Exercise 1: Formy używane przy wyrażaniu wieku: rok, lata, lat

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

lata, lat, rok

1.
Mój pies ma 5 ....
(Mój pies ma 5 lat.)
2.
Ten chłopiec ma 4 ....
(Ten chłopiec ma 4 lata.)
3.
Moja siostra ma 3 ....
(Moja siostra ma 3 lata.)
4.
Mój dziadek ma 74 ....
(Mój dziadek ma 74 lata.)
5.
Moje dziecko ma ....
(Moje dziecko ma rok.)
6.
Nasza babcia ma 80 ....
(Nasza babcia ma 80 lat.)
7.
Mamy 14 ....
(Mamy 14 lat.)
8.
Moja mama ma 41 ....
(Moja mama ma 41 lat.)

Exercise 2: Dialogue completion

Instruction: Complete the dialogue with the correct solution

1. Anna: Ile ___ ma twój syn?

(Anna: How old ___ is your son?)

2. Marcin: Mój syn ma trzy ___.

(Marcin: My son is three ___.)

3. Anna: A twój __?

(Anna: And your __?)

4. Marcin: On ma dwadzieścia jeden ___.

(Marcin: He is twenty-one ___.)

5. Anna: A ile ma lat twój ___?

(Anna: And how old is your ___?)

6. Marcin: Mój kot ma ___.

(Marcin: My cat is ___.)

Forms Used to Express Age in Polish: rok, lata, lat

This lesson covers the different noun forms used in Polish to talk about age, focusing on the word rok and its plural variations lata and lat. Understanding when and how to use these forms correctly is essential for expressing age naturally and accurately.

How Age is Expressed

In Polish, age is expressed using the verb mieć (to have) combined with the noun rok in the appropriate form:

  • rok — used for the number 1 (except 11)
  • lata — used for numbers ending in 2 to 4 (except 12–14)
  • lat — used for numbers ending in 5–9, 0, or for 11–14

For example:

FormExample
rokMoje dziecko ma rok.
lataMam 44 lata.
latMam 30 lat.

Key Points to Remember

  • You never use the numeral "jeden" (one) before rok because rok itself means "one year".
  • The choice of form depends on the last digit(s) of the number, with some exceptions involving 11–14.
  • Using the correct form helps in sounding natural and avoiding common mistakes made by learners.

Differences Between English and Polish Age Expression

In English, age is expressed with the verb to be and the noun "year(s) old," such as "I am 25 years old." In Polish, however, the construction uses mieć (to have), so the equivalent would be Mam 25 lat. Notice also that the noun "rok" changes form depending on the number, which does not happen in English.

Useful Phrases to Practice

  • Ile lat masz? — How old are you?
  • On ma jeden rok. — He is one year old. (Note: usually just rok without "jeden")
  • Mam trzy lata. — I am three years old.
  • Ona ma dwadzieścia lat. — She is twenty years old.

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

Profile Picture

Joanna Majchrowska

Master of Spanish Philology

University of Lodz

University_Logo

Poland


Last Updated:

Friday, 28/11/2025 09:33