何なん歳さい

Common wordJLPTN5

Meanings

1

how old; what age

Used to ask someone's age. Polite when combined with ですか or おいくつですか, but 何歳 can be direct; use おいくつ for extra politeness.

あなたは何なん歳さいですか。
How old are you?
この子こは何なん歳さいになりましたか。
How old has this child turned?

See all 18 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉は何なん歳さいですかhow old is 〈person〉?
お子こさんは何なん歳さいですか。
How old is your child?
何なん歳さいから〈動どう詞し〉from what age (can one do something)
何なん歳さいから車くるまの運うん転てんができますか。
From what age can you drive a car?

Grammar

一人ひとり・二に本ほん・三さん冊さつnumbers and countersN5

Kanji

何what
歳year-end, age, occasion
才genius, years old, cubic shaku

Related words

年ねん齢れいN3
年齢 is the formal, written term for 'age', while 何歳 is used directly to ask someone their age in conversation.
いくつN5
いくつ is a casual, more general way to ask 'how many/how old', whereas 何歳 specifically and neutrally asks for age.

Don't confuse with

何なん年ねん
何年 asks about a number of years (duration) or a calendar year, while 何歳 specifically asks a person's age.

Written forms

何なん歳さい
Standard kanji spelling using the formal character for age.
何なん才さい
Common simplified spelling using the character for 'talent'; widely used in informal writing.

Etymology

Compound of 何 (なん, 'what') and 歳 (さい, counter for age). The alternative spelling 何才 uses a common substitute character for 歳.