Give Your Age and Date of Birth at the Préfecture

James is at the Préfecture in Lyon. He is completing a formal administrative procedure. An employee checks the personal information in his file.

Full Transcript

Employee: Monsieur, vous avez quel âge ?

James: J’ai trente ans.

Employee: D’accord. Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

James: Je suis né le 12 avril 1996.

Employee: Le 12 avril 1996, c’est bien ça ?

James: Oui, exactement.

Employee: Parfait, merci.

English Translation

Employee: Sir, how old are you?

James: I’m thirty years old.

Employee: Okay. What is your date of birth?

James: I was born on April 12, 1996.

Employee: April 12, 1996, is that correct?

James: Yes, exactly.

Employee: Perfect, thank you.

Question 1

How old is James?

1. 26

2. 30

3. 36

Answer: b

Question 2

What is James’s date of birth?

1. 12 April 1996

2. 12 August 1996

3. 20 April 1996

Answer: a

Micro-task

The employee repeats your date correctly.

What can you say?

1. Oui, exactement.

2. Je ne comprends pas.

3. À bientôt !

Answer: a

Core 5

Vous avez quel âge ?

Pronunciation: /vu za.ve kɛl aʒ/
Meaning: How old are you?

Example:

Vous avez quel âge ?

J’ai … ans.

Pronunciation: /ʒe … ɑ̃/
Meaning: I am … years old.

Example:

J’ai trente ans.

Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

Pronunciation: /kɛl ɛ vɔtʁ dat də nɛ.sɑ̃s/
Meaning: What is your date of birth?

Example:

Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

Je suis né / née le…

Pronunciation: /ʒə sɥi ne lə/
Meaning: I was born on…

Example:

Je suis né le 12 avril 1996.

Oui, exactement.

Pronunciation: /wi ɛɡ.zakt.mɑ̃/
Meaning: Yes, exactly.

Example:

— Le 12 avril 1996 ?
— Oui, exactement.

Plus

C’est bien ça ?

Pronunciation: /sɛ bjɛ̃ sa/
Meaning: Is that correct? / Is that right?

Example:

Le 3 mai, c’est bien ça ?

D’accord.

Pronunciation: /da.kɔʁ/
Meaning: Okay.

Example:

D’accord. Merci.

Parfait, merci.

Pronunciation: /paʁ.fɛ mɛʁ.si/
Meaning: Perfect, thank you.

Example:

Parfait, merci.

Le 12 avril.

Pronunciation: /lə duz a.vʁil/
Meaning: April 12th.

Example:

Je suis né le 12 avril.

Pardon, vous pouvez répéter ?

Pronunciation: /paʁ.dɔ̃ vu pu.ve ʁe.pe.te/
Meaning: Sorry, can you repeat?

Example:

Pardon, vous pouvez répéter la date ?

Anna is at a formal administrative reception desk in Lyon. The employee checks the information in her file.

Employee: Bonjour madame. Vous avez quel âge ?

Anna: J’ai vingt-neuf ans.

Employee: D’accord. Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

Anna: Je suis née le 3 septembre 1997.

Employee: Le 3 septembre 1997, c’est bien ça ?

Anna: Oui, exactement.

Employee: Très bien.

Anna: C’est correct ?

Employee: Oui. Parfait, merci.

Quick Check

1. How old is Anna?

2. What is her date of birth?

Answers:

2. 3 September 1997.

In a formal administrative situation, questions are often short and direct.

You may hear:

Vous avez quel âge ?

or:

Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

You may also hear a shorter version:

Votre date de naissance ?

When the employee repeats your information, you can confirm with:

Oui, exactement.

or:

Oui, c’est bien ça.

If you do not understand the number or date, use a repair phrase from Unit 1:

Pardon, vous pouvez répéter ?

That is especially useful when dates and numbers are important.

Today, focus on two patterns.

Pattern 1 — avoir + age

In French, you use avoir to talk about age.

J’ai 30 ans.

Not:

Je suis 30 ans.

Examples

J’ai vingt ans.

J’ai vingt-cinq ans.

J’ai trente ans.

J’ai quarante ans.

Pattern 2 — être né(e) le + date

For a man:

Je suis né le 12 avril.

For a woman:

Je suis née le 12 avril.

For now, learn these as complete useful patterns.

Language Alert — English speakers

English:

I am 30.

French:

J’ai 30 ans.

French literally uses the idea of “having” years.

Pronunciation Focus

Say the whole age as one rhythm group:

J’ai trente ans.

And listen to the link between number and ans:

trente ans

vingt ans

The goal is to recognise and say the age smoothly.

Build your answer in three steps.

Give your age

J’ai + number + ans.

Example:

J’ai trente ans.

Give your date of birth

Je suis né(e) le + date.

Example:

Je suis née le 5 juin 1998.

Confirm

Oui, exactement.

or:

Oui, c’est bien ça.

Try It

Complete with your own information:

J’ai __________ ans.

Je suis né(e) le __________________________.

Oui, __________________________.

Now say all three lines aloud without reading.

Exercise 1 — Choose the Correct Form

1. You are 28.

2. Je suis 28 ans.

3. J’ai 28 ans.

4. You were born on 10 May.

5. Je suis né(e) le 10 mai.

6. J’ai le 10 mai.

7. The employee repeats your information correctly.

8. Oui, exactement.

9. Je m’appelle Anna.

Answers: 1b, 2a, 3a

Exercise 2 — Complete the Dialogue

Use:

ai — naissance — née — exactement — bien

— Vous avez quel âge ?

— J’________ vingt-six ans.

— Quelle est votre date de __________ ?

— Je suis ________ le 8 juillet 2000.

— Le 8 juillet 2000, c’est ________ ça ?

— Oui, ________.

Answers:

ai — naissance — née — bien — exactement

Exercise 3 — Respond at the Counter

Answer with your own information.

Vous avez quel âge ?

Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

Le __________, c’est bien ça ?

If you do not understand, add:

Pardon, vous pouvez répéter ?

Try the whole exchange without reading.

If you remember only five phrases, remember these:

Vous avez quel âge ?

How old are you?

J’ai … ans.

I am … years old.

Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

What is your date of birth?

Je suis né / née le…

I was born on…

Oui, exactement.

Yes, exactly.

Download the lesson files

Save these resources to keep practicing offline.

How are dates written in France?

In France, dates are usually written:

day / month / year

For example:

12/04/1996

means:

12 April 1996

So when you see a French administrative form, the day normally comes before the month.

Simple French

le 12 avril 1996

A useful word to recognise:

date de naissance

This means:

date of birth

You are at a formal administrative reception desk in France.

The employee checks your personal information.

Your conversation must include:

1. your age;

2. your date of birth;

3. one confirmation phrase;

4. one repair phrase if necessary.

Example

— Vous avez quel âge ?

— J’ai trente ans.

— Quelle est votre date de naissance ?

— Je suis né le 12 avril 1996.

— Le 12 avril 1996, c’est bien ça ?

— Oui, exactement.

Extra Challenge

Add information from Unit 1:

Bonjour.

Je m’appelle…

Pardon, vous pouvez répéter ?

This makes the exchange feel more like a real administrative interaction.

Try to complete it without reading the model.

I can say my age.

Yes, on my own.
Yes, with a little help.
Not yet.

I can give my date of birth.

Yes, on my own.
Yes, with a little help.
Not yet.

I can confirm information.

Yes, on my own.
Yes, with a little help.
Not yet.

I can ask someone to repeat a number or date.

Yes, on my own.
Yes, with a little help.
Not yet.