Olga
Professional TeacherAge in Russian. How to Ask: How Old Are You?
To ask How old are you? in Russian, you’ll say:
Сколько тебе лет?
Or, in case you’re talking to someone in a formal way, or asking two or more people at once, it’ll sound as:
Сколько Вам лет?
You don’t use the words "<em>ты</em>" or "<em>вы</em>", but you use their forms, "<em>тебе</em>" or "<em>вам</em>". Both of them mean “to you”, and the whole phrase literally means “<em>How many years are given to you?</em>”
Now let’s see how you can tell your age in Russian.
If your age ends with 5-9 or 0 (like 20, 25, 37, 46, 59, and so on), you’ll say:
"<em>Мне</em>" ("to me")
- then a number -
and "<em>лет</em>":
Мне 26 лет
Мне 37 лет
Мне 40 лет
If you’re still a teenager, and your age is within 11 and 19 yo, you’ll use the same phrase:
Мне 18 лет
Мне 16 лет
If your age ends with 2, 3 or 4 (like 22, or 43), you’ll use the word “<em>года</em>” instead of “<em>лет</em>”:
<em>Год = “year”</em>
Мне 22 года
Мне 43 года
Мне 34 года
And if your age ends with 1 (like 21, 31, 51, and so on), then you’ll say:
Мне 21 год
Мне 31 год
Мне 51 год
In case you need to hear the Correct Pronunciation and more examples: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cg_OjOau8E" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cg_OjOau8E</a>;
Russian Numbers: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EcXV_n4jsg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EcXV_n4jsg</a>;
The difference between using "<em>ТЫ</em>" and "<em>ВЫ</em>" forms: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNOx4fIS7IQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNOx4fIS7IQ</a>;
Jun 28, 2020 1:41 AM
Comments · 2
1
Hi, my comment is totally off topic!!!!
I always find this question very offensive, if it doesn't part of any paperwork or legal procedure.
June 29, 2020
1
I'll give correction for the first paragraph with accent on "ты" vs. "Вы" rather than age.
When you say "Сколько тебе лет?" you're talking very informal, it's best used with closely related people: family members, friends, closest colleagues, and children. Otherwise such informality may sound rude when you talk to adults.
Next, when you ask "Сколько Вам лет?" you're asking not only in formal way, but also respectfully. This way you always ask a single person. Capital letter in "Вам" denotes that. And still, you may have informal conversation but show respect this way. Final use of "Вы" and it's forms is to intentionally enforce formality, when your conversation partner shows inappropriate familiarity.
And lastly, when you say "Сколько вам лет?" you normally address multiple people, lowercase "вам" denotes that. However, you can also intentionally address a single person in unrespectful way, by lowering "Вам" to "вам". Or you just don't know about things I've said above. In the latter case it will be ok, if you're a foreigner.
The rest examples about how you tell age are correct.
June 29, 2020
Olga
Language Skills
Belarusian, English, Italian, Russian
Learning Language
Italian
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