Introduction
Learning how to say your age is one of the first and most practical skills when starting Brazilian Portuguese. This article explains how to use Tenho to say your age, gives common vocabulary, sample sentences you can use right away, useful tips, and frequent mistakes to avoid. Perfect for complete beginners who want clear, everyday phrases.
Why Brazilian Portuguese uses Tenho for age
In English you say I am 25, but in Brazilian Portuguese the verb used is ter, which means to have. The most common way to say your age is with the conjugated verb Tenho followed by a number and the word anos for years. This difference can feel odd at first but is consistent and very easy to learn.
Basic structure
Use this simple formula: subject implied + Tenho + number + anos. In conversation the subject eu is often omitted because Tenho already implies I have.
Example: Tenho 30 anos.
Conjugation basics for very beginners
You do not need to memorize many conjugations to talk about age. Only the first person singular of ter is used for this purpose.
Eu tenho = I have (commonly shortened to tenho in speech)
Example with subject: Eu tenho 18 anos.
Numbers you should memorize first
Start with cardinal numbers 1 to 30 because they cover most beginner needs and common ages you will hear.
1 – um
2 – dois
3 – três
4 – quatro
5 – cinco
6 – seis
7 – sete
8 – oito
9 – nove
10 – dez
11 – onze
12 – doze
13 – treze
14 – quatorze
15 – quinze
16 – dezesseis
17 – dezessete
18 – dezoito
19 – dezenove
20 – vinte
21 – vinte e um
22 – vinte e dois
30 – trinta
Common phrases and examples using Tenho
Short practical responses and full sentences you will hear or use.
Basic answer to How old are you?
Como você tem? is incorrect. The correct question is Quantos anos você tem? or Quantos anos tem você?
Example question: Quantos anos você tem?
Simple reply: Tenho 25 anos.
With subject for emphasis: Eu tenho 25 anos.
Polite version when asking strangers or older people: Quantos anos o senhor tem? or Quantos anos a senhora tem?
Answer polite: Tenho 62 anos.
Other useful age-related phrases
When talking about being a certain age in a year or expressing past/future ages, you can still use ter with different time words.
Next year I will be 30: No ano que vem vou ter 30 anos.
I was 10 when I moved: Eu tinha 10 anos quando me mudei.
She is 5 years old: Ela tem 5 anos.
They are both 20: Eles têm 20 anos. Note: third person plural uses têm (accent).
Real-life situations where Tenho is used
Knowing how to say your age with tenho helps in many everyday contexts: filling forms, buying age-restricted items, doctor visits, meeting people, or travel registration.
Form example: Idade: 18 anos
At a bakery they may ask for ID: Você tem documento? The cashier might ask Quantos anos você tem? and you reply Tenho 19 anos.
At a clinic a nurse could write your age in a chart: Paciente: Maria, Idade: 34 anos
On social media or messaging: Birthday post comment: Parabéns! Quantos anos você fez? Reply: Fiz 27 anos hoje.
Short dialogues for practice
Dialogue 1 — meeting someone
Oi, tudo bem? Quantos anos você tem?
Tenho 22 anos.
Dialogue 2 — at a store
Precisa de documento para comprar? Quantos anos você tem?
Tenho 16 anos.
Dialogue 3 — family question
Quantos anos o seu filho tem?
Ele tem 6 anos.
Beginner tips to remember and practice
1. Always use anos after a number unless you specify months or days. Saying Tenho 1 is incomplete; say Tenho 1 ano.
2. Use tenho for yourself, tem for he/she/you formal, and têm for they. For beginner conversational needs, focus on tenho and tem.
3. When asking age, use Quantos anos você tem? Literally how many years you have. Practice the question and the answer together.
4. Pronunciation tip: tenho sounds like TEN-yoo with a nasal ão in Portuguese for other words; practice listening to native Brazilian speakers to get the rhythm.
5. Practice with your current age and ages of family members to build confidence: Tenho 29 anos; Minha mãe tem 55 anos.
How to handle special cases
Babies: Brazilians often say meses for months. Example: Meu bebê tem 6 meses.
One year old: Use singular ano. Example: Ele tem 1 ano.
When age is unknown or approximate: Use cerca de or uns. Example: Ela tem cerca de 30 anos or Ela tem uns 30 anos.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: Saying Eu sou 20 anos. In Portuguese, sou is used for characteristics (I am Brazilian), but for age use tenho. Correct: Tenho 20 anos.
Mistake 2: Omitting anos. Saying Tenho 20 without anos might be understood but sounds incomplete. Always include anos or the time unit.
Mistake 3: Wrong number agreement. For one year use ano (singular). Example wrong: Tenho 1 anos. Correct: Tenho 1 ano.
Mistake 4: Using English word order for questions and answers. Remember Portuguese often drops subject pronoun: Tenho 24 anos is natural.
Simple exercises for learners
Fill-in-the-blank practice. Replace the blank with the correct Portuguese sentence:
1. How old are you? Answer: __________ (I am 21 years old.)
Expected: Tenho 21 anos.
2. She is 7 years old. Translate: __________
Expected: Ela tem 7 anos.
3. My daughter is one year. Translate: __________
Expected: Minha filha tem 1 ano.
4. They are 30. Translate: __________
Expected: Eles têm 30 anos.
Extra vocabulary and phrases related to age
idade – age
anos – years
mês / meses – month / months
ano – year (singular)
menino / menina – boy / girl
homem / mulher – man / woman
velho / velha – old (use cautiously; can be rude)
jovem – young
Using age in polite and social contexts
When in doubt, ask politely: Posso perguntar sua idade? or more politely Posso saber sua idade? Some people consider asking age personal, so use context. If someone asks first, reply naturally with Tenho + number + anos.
Conclusion
Mastering how to say your age with Tenho is a small but essential step in Brazilian Portuguese. Remember the basic formula Tenho + number + anos, use ano for one year, and include anos for most answers. Practice the question Quantos anos você tem? and common replies in everyday contexts, and avoid directly translating I am into sou when referring to age. With a little repetition these phrases will become natural and useful in real conversations.
