how old

/haʊ ˈoʊld/
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A question about the age of a person or thing.

Examples

  • How old are you?
  • How old were you when you learned to swim?
  • Can you tell how old this tree is?
  • She asked how old the dog was.
  • How old is your sister?

Similar words

what age

Meanings

Age of someone or something

age
neutral
Used to ask or say the age of a person, animal, or thing.

Examples

  • How old are you?
  • How old is your sister?
  • Can you tell how old this tree is?
  • She asked how old the dog was.
  • How old were you when you learned to swim?

Similar words

Etymology

How asks for a measure and old describes age. Together they ask for an age.

FAQ

What does how old ask?

It asks for the age of a person or thing.

Can I use how old for a house?

Yes. It can ask how many years the house has existed.

How do I answer how old are you?

You can say, I am ten years old, giving your own age.

Is how old only used in direct questions?

No. It can also appear inside a sentence, as in I know how old she is.

Can how old ask about a dog?

Yes. Animals have ages too.

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