☰ Units · Russian A1

Numbers 0–20, age

Unit 6 · Part B · Russian A1 (Beginners)
3

How old are you?

Russian A1 · Unit 6
GoalAsk and tell a person’s age with мне … лет.
New words
Ско́лько тебе́ лет? (skólʹko tebé let) · How old are you? (to a friend)Ско́лько вам лет? (skólʹko vam let) · How old are you? (polite)Мне … лет (mne … let) · I am … years oldгод (god) · year (after 1)го́да (góda) · years (after 2, 3, 4)лет (let) · years (after 5 and more)Ему́ … лет (yemú … let) · He is … years oldЕй … лет (yey … let) · She is … years old
Explanation

Russian does not say “I am ten”. It says “to me ten years”: Мне де́сять лет. The word for “year” changes with the number. After 1 we say год, after 2, 3 and 4 we say го́да, and after 5 to 20 we say лет. For “he” use ему́, for “she” use ей. Ask a friend with тебе́ (the form for ты) and an older person or a stranger with вам (the polite form for вы).

AgeSay itYear word
1Мне оди́н годгод
2Мне два го́даго́да
4Мне четы́ре го́даго́да
5Мне пять летлет
11Мне оди́ннадцать летлет
20Мне два́дцать летлет
Worked examples
Али́

Ско́лько тебе́ лет?

Ни́на

Мне де́сять лет. А тебе́?

Али́

Мне оди́ннадцать лет.

Али́ asks Ни́на how old she is. А тебе́? means “and you?”.
The year word changes with the number. Listen: three years, five years, twenty years.
He and she: ему́ and ей.
Class activity

Interview. Ask three people (or three imaginary people) in Russian: Ско́лько тебе́ лет? Write each answer in a full sentence with the right word: год, го́да or лет. Then say your own age and the age of someone in your family, using ему́ or ей.

Practice
1
Press Listen. How old is the speaker: 9, 19 or 20?

…

2
Say in Russian: “I am 13.”
3
A baby is one year old. Complete: Ему́ …
4
Which word fits: Мне пять … (год, го́да, лет)?
5
Read the question. Do you ask a friend or a stranger?