Usage of ～歳
The suffix ～歳 (～さい) is used to indicate a person's or an animal's age in years. It is attached directly after a number to express how old someone or something is. This is one of the most common ways to talk about age in Japanese.
Common Contexts
You will often hear ～歳 in everyday conversation when people talk about their own age, the age of children, pets, or even objects like trees or buildings in a figurative sense. For example, "二十歳" means "20 years old," and "五歳の子供" means "a five-year-old child."
Collocations and Patterns
- 数字 + 歳: The most basic and frequent pattern, e.g., 三歳 (three years old).
- ～歳の子供: Used to specify the age of a child.
- ～歳です: Polite way to state one's age.
Notes on Usage
- The reading "はたち" is a special reading for 20歳, often used in formal or celebratory contexts.
- When counting age, ～歳 is the standard counter, but for infants under one year, "ヶ月" (months) is used instead.
- Avoid mixing ～歳 with other counters; it specifically counts years of age.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse ～歳 with general counters for years like 年 (ねん), which counts years in time (e.g., 3 years ago is 三年前). Remember, ～歳 is specifically for age.