Add 歳（さい） to a number for age: 三歳 is さんさい.
The idea
Add 歳（さい） to a number for age: 三歳 is さんさい. Sound changes give 一歳（いっさい） and 八歳（はっさい）; twenty is the special 二十歳（はたち）. Ask 何歳（なんさい） for someone’s age. おいくつですか is a more polite way to ask someone’s age.
| Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|
| 一歳 | いっさい |
| 三歳 | さんさい |
| 八歳 | はっさい |
| 十歳 | じゅっさい／じっさい |
| 二十歳 | はたち |
| 何歳 | なんさい |
Examples
- 私は二十歳です。I am twenty years old.
- 弟は一歳です。My younger brother is one.
- 妹は八歳です。My younger sister is eight.
- 友達は十歳です。My friend is ten.
- 子どもは三歳です。The child is three.
- 何歳ですか。How old are you?
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Watch out
十歳 may be じゅっさい or じっさい. Age can be personal, so consider whether the question is welcome.
Try it yourself
Choose the Japanese form for “one year old”: （いっさい／はっさい）
Show answer or example answer
いっさい
いっさい matches “one year old”; はっさい matches “eight years old”.
Choose the Japanese form for “eight years old”: （はたち／はっさい）
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はっさい
はっさい matches “eight years old”; はたち matches “twenty years old”.
Choose the Japanese form for “twenty years old”: （はたち／いっさい）
Show answer or example answer
はたち
はたち matches “twenty years old”; いっさい matches “one year old”.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Choose the Japanese form for “one year old”: （いっさい／はっさい）
Choose the Japanese form for “eight years old”: （はたち／はっさい）
Choose the Japanese form for “twenty years old”: （はたち／いっさい）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Use the reference to make two sentences of your own about this topic. Read them aloud and compare them with the examples.