How to use 岁
Subject + Number + 岁 (+ 半)
An age statement in Mandarin can consist of a person followed directly by a number and 岁. Although English needs a form of “be,” this Chinese structure already forms a complete predicate. Adding 是 before the number or 个 before 岁 is unnecessary in a straightforward statement of age.
Time expressions such as 今年 can identify the year being discussed, while 吗 turns the statement into a yes or no question. For an age that includes half a year, place 半 after 岁. Keep the age unit attached to the whole number rather than treating it like an ordinary counted object. This also keeps simple introductions and family descriptions concise.
Examples with pinyin and English
我 20 岁。
I am 20 years old.
我儿子一岁。
My son is one year old.
我妈妈今年 45 岁。
My mother is 45 years old this year.
你爷爷今年 80 岁吗？
Is your grandpa eighty years old this year?
What to remember
- Put 岁 after the age number.
- Omit 是 in ordinary age statements.
- Add 半 after 岁 for half years.
Practise the pattern
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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