Introduction
Age needs no verb in Chinese. 我二十岁。(Wǒ èrshí suì.) — I'm twenty. There is no 是 (shì) anywhere, because the number phrase is acting as the predicate all by itself.
Overview
Structure: Subj. + Number + 岁 (suì)
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Subj + Number + 岁 | 我二十岁。(Wǒ èrshí suì.) | I'm twenty. |
| Subj + Number + 岁 + 了 | 他三十岁了。(Tā sānshí suì le.) | He's thirty now. |
| 几岁（small children） | 你几岁？(Nǐ jǐ suì?) | How old are you? |
| 多大（everyone else） | 你多大？(Nǐ duō dà?) | How old are you? |
| 不是 + Number + 岁 | 我不是三十岁。(Wǒ bú shì sānshí suì.) | I'm not thirty. |
No 是 (shì) — until you say no:
- ✓ 我二十岁。(Wǒ èrshí suì.) — I'm twenty. ❌ 我是二十岁。(Wǒ shì èrshí suì.)
- The negative does need it: 我不是三十岁，我二十九岁。(Wǒ bú shì sānshí suì, wǒ èrshíjiǔ suì.)
- Dates and prices work the same way: 今天十月三号。(Jīntiān shíyuè sān hào.)
- 岁 (suì) is a measure word in its own right, so no 个 (ge): ❌ 二十个岁 (èrshí ge suì).
Examples
我二十岁。
Wǒ èrshí suì.
I'm twenty.
我女儿五岁了。
Wǒ nǚ'ér wǔ suì le.
My daughter is five now.
你今年多大？
Nǐ jīnnián duō dà?
How old are you this year?
我妈妈今年五十岁。
Wǒ māma jīnnián wǔshí suì.
My mother is fifty this year.
这个孩子几岁了？
Zhège háizi jǐ suì le?
How old is this child now?
我不是三十岁，我二十九岁。
Wǒ bú shì sānshí suì, wǒ èrshíjiǔ suì.
I'm not thirty, I'm twenty-nine.
Usage Notes
- In a plain statement the number and 岁 (suì) are the whole predicate — do not reach for a verb.
- Adding 了 (le) says the age has just changed: 他三十岁了。(Tā sānshí suì le.) — He's turned thirty.
- Ask a small child 几岁 (jǐ suì), anyone older 多大 (duō dà), and an elderly person 多大年纪 (duō dà niánjì).
- Chinese counts age by the calendar year, so 今年 (jīnnián) — this year — often comes along: 你今年多大？(Nǐ jīnnián duō dà?)
- 一岁 is yí suì — 岁 (suì) is 4th tone, so 一 (yī) shifts to yí.