Translation guide
How to express age in Japanese, including the counter 〜歳 (〜さい) and common patterns for stating how old someone or something is.
Casual or abbreviated form, often used in conversation or when the copula is omitted.
A: 何歳？ B: 20歳。
A: How old are you? B: 20.
Used to say someone turns or will turn a certain age. Often used with past or future tense.
来月で30歳になります。
I will turn 30 next month.
昨日、18歳になりました。
I turned 18 yesterday.
Formal word for 'age'. Used in official contexts, forms, or written language.
年齢を教えてください。
Please tell me your age.
To ask how old someone or something is.
Polite way to ask 'How old are you?' or 'How old is he/she?'.
お子さんは何歳ですか。
How old is your child?
More polite and softer way to ask age, especially for adults or customers. Literally 'How many (honorable) are you?'
失礼ですが、おいくつですか。
Excuse me, but how old are you?
Casual way to ask age among friends or children.
ねえ、何歳？
Hey, how old are you?
Irregular readings for certain ages that learners should memorize.
The age 20 is irregularly read as はたち, not にじゅっさい. It marks the age of adulthood in Japan.
今年で20歳になります。
I will turn 20 this year.
1 year old is read いっさい, not いちさい.
赤ちゃんは1歳です。
The baby is 1 year old.
8 years old is read はっさい, not はちさい.
弟は8歳です。
My younger brother is 8 years old.
10 years old can be read じゅっさい or じっさい. Both are common.
10歳の誕生日。
10th birthday.
To express that someone is around a certain age.
Means 'about N years old'. くらい and ぐらい are interchangeable.
彼は30歳くらいだと思います。
I think he is about 30 years old.
Means 'around N years old', slightly more formal or written.
応募者は20歳前後が多い。
Many applicants are around 20 years old.
To state the age of buildings, trees, animals, etc.
For things measured in years (not people), use 年 (ねん) instead of 歳. 歳 is primarily for living beings.
この寺は500年です。
This temple is 500 years old.
Specifically for the age of trees. 樹齢 means 'tree age'.
樹齢1000年の杉。
A 1000-year-old cedar.
The counter 歳 (さい) is used for the age of people and sometimes animals. For inanimate objects like buildings or cars, use 年 (ねん) or other expressions like 〜年経った (〜ねんたった).
この車は10年経っています。
This car is 10 years old.
When asking an adult's age, especially someone you don't know well, use おいくつですか instead of 何歳ですか to sound more polite and respectful.