French grammar
Avoir for family and age
Talk about your brothers and sisters and say people's ages.
From the scene J'ai deux frères (I have two brothers)
In short
Use avoir for family and age: j'ai deux frères, il a trente-cinq ans. Never drop ans.
Your turn
Which one goes with how old are you? (friend)?
Options: j'ai deux frères · quel âge avez-vous ? · tu as quel âge ?
Show answer
how old are you? (friend) → tu as quel âge ?
How it works
Avoir (to have) says how many brothers, sisters or children you have — and your age: French says "I have twenty years", j'ai vingt ans.
Good to know
Traps: never je suis vingt, and never drop ans — j'ai vingt alone sounds unfinished. Ask tu as quel âge ? (friend) or quel âge avez-vous ? (polite).
I have two brothers j'ai deux frères
Javi
Oui, j'ai deux frères. Et toi ?
Yes, I have two brothers. And you?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Oui, (blank). Et toi ?
Options: quel âge avez-vous · j'ai deux frères · tu as quel âge
Show answer
Javi
Oui, j'ai deux frères. Et toi ?
Yes, I have two brothers. And you?
how old are you? (friend) tu as quel âge ?
Javi
Et toi ? Tu as quel âge ?
And you? How old are you?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Et toi ? (blank) ?
Options: J'ai deux frères · Quel âge avez-vous · Tu as quel âge
Show answer
Javi
Et toi ? Tu as quel âge ?
And you? How old are you?
how old are you? (polite) quel âge avez-vous ?
Javi
Et quel âge avez-vous ?
And how old are you?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Et (blank) ?
Options: tu as quel âge · quel âge avez-vous · j'ai deux frères
Show answer
Javi
Et quel âge avez-vous ?
And how old are you?
he is thirty-five il a trente-cinq ans
Nuria
Il a trente-cinq ans.
He's thirty-five.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank).
Options: Il a trente-cinq ans · J'ai deux frères · Tu as quel âge
Show answer
Nuria
Il a trente-cinq ans.
He's thirty-five.
do you have children? (polite) vous avez des enfants ?
Common mistake
Not tu as or il a here. Javi is talking about himself.
Oui, j'ai deux frères. Et toi ?
Yes, I have two brothers. And you?
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| I have two brothers | j'ai deux frères |
|---|---|
| how old are you? (friend) | tu as quel âge ? |
| how old are you? (polite) | quel âge avez-vous ? |
| he is thirty-five | il a trente-cinq ans |
| do you have children? (polite) | vous avez des enfants ? |
More lines from the story
- ElenaMoi ? J'ai quarante ans.Me? I'm forty.
- ElenaOui, ma chérie. J'ai trois enfants.Yes, dear. I have three children.