French Phrase
Quel âge ont ces appareils ?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the age of a group of devices, i.e., how many years they have been in use or how old they are from the moment of manufacture. It is a neutral, polite way to inquire about the lifespan of gadgets, appliances, or any technical equipment.
When to use
Use this question when you see several phones, laptops, kitchen appliances, or any set of devices and you want to know how long they have been around. It works in both casual conversation and more formal contexts such as a tech store or a repair shop.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quelâgeontcesappareils?
Quel (interrogative adjective)
‘Quel’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; here it is masculine singular because ‘âge’ is masculine.
Âge (noun)
‘Âge’ is a masculine singular noun meaning ‘age’; it does not change in the plural.
Ont (avoir, 3rd pl)
The verb ‘avoir’ is conjugated in the third‑person plural to agree with the plural subject ‘ces appareils’.
Ces (demonstrative adjective)
‘Ces’ points to something that is close to the speaker or already known in the conversation; it is plural for both masculine and feminine nouns.
Appareils (noun, plural)
‘Appareil’ means ‘device, gadget’; the plural form adds –s, pronounced /a.pa.ʁɛ/.
🗨In Conversation
Quel âge ont ces appareils ?
How old are these devices?
Ils ont trois ans, ils ont été achetés en 2021.
They are three years old; they were bought in 2021.
✕Common Mistakes
Quel âge a ces appareils ?
The verb must agree with the plural subject; use ‘ont’ not ‘a’.
Quel âge est ces appareils ?
‘Être’ is not used to ask about age of objects; use ‘avoir’.
Quel âge ont ces appareil ?
The noun must be plural to match ‘ces’.
Quelle âge ont ces appareils ?
Do not change ‘Quel’ to ‘Quelle’; ‘âge’ is masculine.
↔Alternatives
Quel est l’âge de ces appareils ?
What is the age of these devices?
Ces appareils, ils ont quel âge ?
These devices, how old are they?
Depuis quand avez‑vous ces appareils ?
Since when have you had these devices?
Cultural Tip
In French, the verb ‘avoir’ is used to ask about age (e.g., ‘Quel âge a‑t‑il ?’ for a single person or object, ‘Quel âge ont‑ils ?’ for plural). Avoid using ‘être’ for age, which is only correct with people’s age in a formal register (e.g., ‘Il est âgé de…’). Also, remember that ‘âge’ is masculine, so the interrogative adjective stays ‘quel’, never ‘quelle’, even when the noun it refers to is plural.