Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

deSCriBiNG PeoPle, PlaCeS, aNd thiNGS

30.7

The verb 是 shì is optional and is usually absent in statements in which the predicate is an age,

or, in fact, any number + classifier (+ noun) phrase.

我的弟弟十八岁。

我的弟弟十八歲。

Wǒ de dìdi shíbā suì.

My younger brother is 18 ( years old).

However, when negation or an adverb occurs in the sentence, 是 shì must also occur.

他不是十八岁。他只是十五岁。

他不是十八歲。他只是十五歲。

Tā bù shì shíbā suì. Tā zhǐ shì shíwǔ suì.

He is not 18 ( years old). He is only 15 ( years old).

When the adverb 已经/已經 yǐjing ‘already’ occurs, 是 shì may be absent.

他已经(是)两岁了。

他已經(是)兩歲了。

Tā yǐjing (shì) liǎng suì le.

He is already two ( years old).

C11.4

30.7.2 asking about age

To ask the age of an adult, say:

你多大年纪？

你多大年紀？

Nǐ duō dà niánjì?

How old are you?

or

你多大岁数？

你多大歲數？

Nǐ duō dà suìshu?

How old are you?

or

你岁数多大？

你歲數多大？

Nǐ suìshu duō dà?

How old are you?

To ask the age of a young person, say:

你多大？

Nǐ duō dà?

How old are you?

To ask the age of a child (up to ten years of age), you can say:

你几岁？

你幾歲？

Nǐ jǐ suì?

How old are you?