معنی
Asking for age.
زمینه فرهنگی
Birthdays are public knowledge. People often hang a 'verjaardagskalender' in the toilet. Asking age is generally not seen as rude among adults unless there's a significant power gap. Flemish people tend to be slightly more reserved than the Dutch. While 'Hoe oud ben je?' is used, the formal 'u' is used more frequently and for a longer duration when getting to know someone. Younger people might use 'Van welk jaar ben je?' to identify which school year or social cohort someone belongs to, rather than asking for a specific number. In Surinamese-Dutch culture, respect for elders is paramount. Asking an elder's age directly without a very good reason might be seen as slightly forward.
The 'T' Drop
Always remember: 'Je bent' (statement) but 'Ben je' (question). The 't' vanishes!
No 'Have'!
Never say 'Ik heb twintig jaar'. It sounds like you are carrying twenty years in a bag. Say 'Ik ben twintig'.
معنی
Asking for age.
The 'T' Drop
Always remember: 'Je bent' (statement) but 'Ben je' (question). The 't' vanishes!
No 'Have'!
Never say 'Ik heb twintig jaar'. It sounds like you are carrying twenty years in a bag. Say 'Ik ben twintig'.
Birthday Bonus
On a birthday, ask 'Hoe oud ben je GEWORDEN?'. It's much more natural.
The 'U' Rule
If in doubt, use 'u'. No one gets offended by too much respect, but some get annoyed by too little.
خودت رو بسنج
Fill in the missing verb for a casual conversation.
Hoe oud ___ je?
In a question with 'je', the verb 'bent' loses its 't', becoming 'ben'.
Choose the most respectful way to ask an elderly person their age.
How do you ask a 90-year-old their age?
'U' is the formal pronoun, and with 'u', the verb 'bent' keeps its 't'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! B: Dank je wel! A: ________?
'Hoe oud ben je geworden?' is the standard way to ask age on a birthday.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which phrase fits a formal job application form?
'Wat is uw leeftijd?' is more formal and clinical, suitable for forms.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Dutch vs Romance Languages
بانک تمرین
4 تمرینهاHoe oud ___ je?
In a question with 'je', the verb 'bent' loses its 't', becoming 'ben'.
How do you ask a 90-year-old their age?
'U' is the formal pronoun, and with 'u', the verb 'bent' keeps its 't'.
A: Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! B: Dank je wel! A: ________?
'Hoe oud ben je geworden?' is the standard way to ask age on a birthday.
Which phrase fits a formal job application form?
'Wat is uw leeftijd?' is more formal and clinical, suitable for forms.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
سوالات متداول
12 سوالNo, that is incorrect word order. In Dutch questions, the verb must come before the subject. Use 'Hoe oud ben je?'.
It can be, especially with older women. It's safer to wait until the topic of birthdays or years comes up naturally.
'Je' is informal (friends, family, kids), 'u' is formal (strangers, elders, bosses).
This literally means 'How old have you become?'. It's the standard way to ask someone their new age on their birthday.
It's very blunt. It's better to use the full sentence 'Hoe oud ben je?' for politeness.
Say 'Ik ben [number] (jaar oud)'. For example: 'Ik ben vijfentwintig'.
No, it's often dropped in casual conversation. 'Ik ben twintig' is perfectly fine.
'Leeftijd' is the noun (age), 'oud' is the adjective (old). You ask 'Hoe oud ben je?' but 'Wat is je leeftijd?'.
You can say: 'Dat is een geheim' (That's a secret) or 'Ik ben oud genoeg' (I'm old enough).
Yes, it's the standard phrase in Flanders as well, though they might use 'u' more often.
This is a phonetic rule in Dutch to make the transition between the verb and 'je/jij' smoother in questions.
Usually, for objects, we ask 'Hoe oud is dit?' (How old is this?) or 'Uit welk jaar komt dit?'.
عبارات مرتبط
Hoe oud bent u?
specialized formHow old are you? (Formal)
Wat is je leeftijd?
synonymWhat is your age?
Hoe oud word je?
builds onHow old are you turning?
Van welk bouwjaar ben je?
slangWhat's your 'manufacturing' year?
Jong van geest
contrastYoung at heart
