A1.6 - Saying your age

Forms used to express age: rok, lata, lat

Formy używane przy wyrażaniu wieku: rok, lata, lat

W języku polskim, aby wyrazić wiek, używamy konstrukcji z czasownikiem mieć oraz rzeczownikiem rok w odpowiedniej formie: rok, lata, lat. Forma zależy od liczby.

(In Polish, to express age, we use a structure with the verb mieć and the noun rok in the appropriate form: rok, lata, lat. The form depends on the number.)

What changes: the word for “year”

In Polish, when you say someone’s age, the noun changes form:

Number pattern Correct form Example (natural)
1 (but not 11) rok Mój syn ma rok.
2–4 (but not 12–14) lata Mam 24 lata.
5–9, 0, and 11–14 lat Mam 30 lat.

How to choose fast: look at the last digits

  1. Check the last two digits first.

    • If it is 11–14 → always lat.

  2. If it is not 11–14, check the last digit:

    • Ends in 1 → rok

    • Ends in 2–4 → lata

    • Ends in 0 or 5–9 → lat

The “teen trap” (11–14) — the most common mistake

Even though 12 ends in 2 and 14 ends in 4, Polish treats 11–14 as one group.

  • 12 → 12 lat (not 12 lata)

  • 14 → 14 lat (not 14 lata)

Why “rok” has no “one”

When talking about age, Polish usually does not add jeden (“one”).

  • Moja córka ma rok. (normal)

  • Moja córka ma jeden rok. (sounds unnatural in this context)

Mini self-check (use this before speaking)

  • Is the number 11–14? → say lat.

  • If not: last digit 1 → rok.

  • If not: last digit 2–4 → lata.

  • Everything else → lat.

High-frequency examples you will actually use

Age Correct Common wrong form
1 Ma rok. Ma jeden rok.
2 / 3 / 4 Mam 2/3/4 lata. Mam 3 lat.
5 Mam 5 lat. Mam 5 lata.
11 / 12 / 13 / 14 Mam 11–14 lat. Mam 12 lata.
21 Mam 21 lat. Mam 21 rok.
22 / 23 / 24 Mam 22–24 lata. Mam 24 lat.
30 / 40 / 50 Mam 30/40/50 lat. Mam 40 lata.

One practical note: the question uses “lat”

The fixed, standard question is:

  • Ile masz lat? (informal)

  • Ile pan/pani ma lat? (formal)

Answer with Mam + number + rok/lata/lat.

  1. A number ending in 1 (except 11): rok
  2. A number ending in 2–4 (except 12–14): lata
  3. A number ending in 5–9, 0, or 11–14: lat
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 by itself means “one”, so you do not use the numeral “one”.

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

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1. Ile pan ma ____?

Ile pan ma ____?

2. Mam 31 ____.

Mam 31 ____.

3. Mam 24 ____.

Mam 24 ____.

4. Moja córka ma ____.

Moja córka ma ____.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences by inserting the correct form of the noun “rok” (rok / lata / lat) to express age correctly.

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  1. Moja córka ma 1 _____.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Moja córka ma rok.
    (Moja córka ma rok.)
  2. Mam 2 _____.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Mam 2 lata.
    (Mam 2 lata.)
  3. Mój brat ma 4 _____.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Mój brat ma 4 lata.
    (Mój brat ma 4 lata.)
  4. Mam 5 _____.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Mam 5 lat.
    (Mam 5 lat.)
  5. Ona ma 11 _____.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Ona ma 11 lat.
    (Ona ma 11 lat.)
  6. On ma 21 _____.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    On ma 21 lat.
    (On ma 21 lat.)

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

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Joanna Majchrowska

Master of Spanish Philology

University of Lodz

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Poland


Last Updated:

Wednesday, 18/03/2026 07:16