Learn Italian: Hai ventotto anni, vero? - You are twenty-eight years old, right?

Hai ventotto anni, vero?

You are twenty-eight years old, right?

Breakdown of Hai ventotto anni, vero?

vero

true / right? (tag question)

Questions & Answers about Hai ventotto anni, vero?

Why is it ventotto and not ventiotto?

When combining a tens number (like venti) with uno (one) or otto (eight), the last vowel of the tens word is dropped. So venti + otto becomes ventotto to make it easier to pronounce.

Why does the sentence use hai instead of a word for 'you are'?

In Italian, you do not 'be' an age, you 'have' years. To talk about age, you use the verb avere (to have). Since we are talking to 'you', we use the matching form hai (you have).

Where is the word for 'you' in this sentence?

It is built right into the verb hai. In Italian, you usually drop subject pronouns like tu (you) because the verb itself already tells the listener exactly who you are talking about.

Can I add vero to the end of any statement to mean 'right?'?

Yes! Vero literally means 'true'. Placing it at the end of a sentence with a questioning tone is a very common way to ask 'right?' or 'isn't that so?'.