HSK 2 · Article · 155 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-ask-age-in-chinese

你几岁？

How to ask someone’s age in Chinese

Name: ________________ Date: ________

欢欢huānhuān今年jīnnián五wǔ岁suì。她tā最zuì喜欢xǐhuān问wèn别人biéren一yí个gè问题wèntí：“你nǐ几jǐ岁suì？”

她tā问wèn楼下lóuxià的de小朋友xiǎopéngyou：“你nǐ几jǐ岁suì？”小朋友xiǎopéngyou说shuō：“我wǒ四sì岁suì。”欢欢huānhuān很hěn高兴gāoxìng：“我wǒ比bǐ你nǐ大dà！”

一天yìtiān，家里jiālǐ来lái了le一个yígè老爷爷lǎoyéye。欢欢huānhuān跑pǎo过去guòqu问wèn：“爷爷yéye，你nǐ几jǐ岁suì？”大家dàjiā都dōu笑xiào了le。

爷爷yéye也yě笑xiào了le：“我wǒ啊a，七十八qīshíbā岁suì！”

晚上wǎnshang，妈妈māma对duì欢欢huānhuān说shuō：“问wèn小朋友xiǎopéngyou，说shuō‘你nǐ几jǐ岁suì’。问wèn叔叔shūshu阿姨āyí，说shuō‘你nǐ多大duōdà了le’。问wèn爷爷yéye、奶奶nǎinai，要yào问wèn‘您nín多大duōdà年纪niánjì了le’。”

欢欢huānhuān马上mǎshàng问wèn：“妈妈māma，你nǐ多大duōdà了le？”

妈妈māma说shuō：“我wǒ？我wǒ十八shíbā岁suì。”

爸爸bàba笑xiào了le：“去年qùnián你nǐ也yě是shì十八shíbā岁suì。”

Key words

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
今年	jīnnián	this year
五	wǔ	five
岁	suì	years old; year (of age)
喜欢	xǐhuān	to like; to be fond of
问	wèn	to ask
问题	wèntí	problem; issue
几	jǐ	how many; a few; several
小朋友	xiǎopéngyou	child; kid
说	shuō	to speak; to say
四	sì	four
高兴	gāoxìng	happy; glad; pleased
大	dà	big; large

English (for the teacher)

Huanhuan is five this year. She has one favourite question for everyone: “How old are you?”

She asks the little kid downstairs: “How old are you?” The kid says: “I’m four.” Huanhuan is delighted: “I’m older than you!”

One day, an old man comes to visit. Huanhuan runs over and asks: “Grandpa, how old are you?” Everyone laughs.

Grandpa laughs too: “Me? I’m seventy-eight!”

That evening, Mum tells Huanhuan: “For a child, say ‘你几岁’. For a grown-up, like an uncle or auntie, say ‘你多大了’. For a grandpa or grandma, ask ‘您多大年纪了’.”

Huanhuan asks straight away: “Mum, how old are you?”

Mum says: “Me? I’m eighteen.”

Dad laughs: “You were eighteen last year too.”