How to Say "age" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “age” is “edad” — use 'edad' to ask or state how old a person or thing is, or to refer to a historical period like 'the Stone Age'..
edad
/e-dad//eˈðað/
Examples
¿Qué edad tienes?
How old are you?
Mi abuela tiene noventa años de edad.
My grandmother is ninety years of age.
La edad mínima para votar es dieciocho años.
The minimum age to vote is eighteen.
La Edad Media fue una época fascinante.
The Middle Ages was a fascinating era.
Using 'Tener' for Age
In Spanish, you 'have' an age, you don't 'are' an age. Always use the verb 'tener' (to have), not 'ser' or 'estar'. For example, 'Tengo 30 años' means 'I am 30 years old'.
Using 'Ser' Instead of 'Tener'
Mistake: “Soy veinte años.”
Correction: Tengo veinte años. Remember, in Spanish, you possess your years!
año
/AN-yo//ˈaɲo/
Examples
El año tiene doce meses.
The year has twelve months.
Feliz Año Nuevo.
Happy New Year.
¿Cuántos años tienes?
How old are you?
Using 'Tener' for Age
To say how old you are, Spanish uses the verb 'tener' (to have), not 'ser' (to be). You literally say 'I have 20 years.' Think of it like you've collected years of life!
Saying 'I Am X Years Old'
Mistake: “Yo soy veinte años.”
Correction: Say 'Tengo veinte años.' Remember, in Spanish, you *have* years, you don't *are* years.
The All-Important 'ñ'
Mistake: “Tengo veinte anos.”
Correction: Always write 'años' with the tilde (~). The word 'ano' without the tilde means 'anus', which can lead to a very embarrassing mistake!
tiempo
/tyem-po//ˈtjempo/
Examples
En tiempos de los romanos, la vida era muy diferente.
In Roman times, life was very different.
No tengo mucho tiempo libre.
I don't have a lot of free time.
¿Cuánto tiempo necesitas para terminar?
How much time do you need to finish?
El tiempo lo cura todo.
Time heals all wounds.
Uncountable Noun
When talking about time in general, 'tiempo' doesn't usually have a plural form. You say 'mucho tiempo' (a lot of time), not 'muchos tiempos'.
'Tiempo' vs. 'Vez' vs. 'Hora'
Mistake: “Using 'tiempo' to mean 'one time' or 'o'clock'.”
Correction: Use 'vez' for instances (una vez = one time) and 'hora' for the time on a clock (¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?). 'Tiempo' is for the concept of time itself.
época
AY-poh-kah/ˈe.po.ka/
Examples
La época victoriana fue un periodo de gran cambio social.
The Victorian era was a period of great social change.
Fue una época difícil para mi abuela.
It was a difficult time for my grandmother.
Esta es la época de oro de la televisión.
This is the golden age of television.
Gender and Articles
Even though 'época' starts with a strong 'A' sound (like 'agua' or 'águila'), it is a feminine noun and always uses the feminine article 'la' or 'una' ('la época', 'una época').
era
/EH-rah//ˈe.ɾa/
Examples
Los dinosaurios vivieron en la Era Mesozoica.
Dinosaurs lived in the Mesozoic Era.
Estamos viviendo en la era de la información.
We are living in the information age.
Fue el comienzo de una nueva era para la compañía.
It was the beginning of a new era for the company.
Always Feminine
When 'era' means a period of time, it's a feminine noun. Always use 'la' or 'una' with it, like 'la era' or 'una nueva era'.
data
/dah-tah//ˈdata/
Examples
Este documento es de antigua data.
This document is of an old date (it's very old).
Es un problema de larga data en nuestra sociedad.
It is a long-standing problem in our society.
Feminine Noun
Even though it looks like the English word 'data', in Spanish this is a feminine noun, so you use 'la' or 'una' with it.
The 'Information' Trap
Mistake: “Using 'la data' to mean computer information.”
Correction: Use 'los datos' (masculine plural) for digital or statistical information. 'Data' in Spanish almost always refers to time or dates.
Choosing between 'edad' and 'tiempo'
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