Breakdown of Nein, der Junge ist sechs Jahre alt.
sein
to be
nein
no
der Junge
the boy
alt
old
das Jahr
the year
sechs
six
Questions & Answers about Nein, der Junge ist sechs Jahre alt.
How do you pronounce the number sechs in this sentence?
The s at the beginning sounds like an English "z". The chs combination makes an "x" or "ks" sound. So, sechs sounds a lot like "zex".
Does German express age the exact same way English does?
Yes! Just like in English, you use the verb sein (to be) rather than "to have" (which some other languages use). So ist sechs Jahre alt translates word-for-word to "is six years old". You can also drop Jahre alt and just say der Junge ist sechs.
Why does the word for boy (Junge) end in an -e? Isn't that usually for feminine words?
While many nouns ending in -e are feminine, der Junge is an exception because it naturally refers to a male person. The basic, dictionary form of the word is simply Junge.
Why is the word Jahre used here instead of Jahr?
Jahre is the plural form of the neuter noun das Jahr (the year). Since the boy is sechs (six), which is more than one, you have to use the plural form by adding an -e.
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