Portuguese Phrase
Quantos anos têm esses aparelhos?
Meaning
This question asks for the age of a group of devices, such as phones, laptops, or kitchen appliances. It literally translates to “How many years do these devices have?” and is the natural way to inquire about the age of objects in Portuguese.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are inspecting used electronics, comparing models, or simply curious about how long a set of gadgets has been in use. It works in both casual conversations and more formal settings like a store or a tech‑repair shop.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quantosanostêmessesaparelhos?
Quantos (interrogative adjective)
Used to ask about quantity; it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
anos (noun)
Plural noun meaning 'years'; commonly used to refer to age.
têm (verb ter, 3rd pl.)
Present indicative of 'ter' (to have) for third‑person plural subjects; must match the plural subject 'aparelhos'.
esses (demonstrative pronoun)
Points to something near the listener; masculine plural form matching 'aparelhos'.
aparelhos (noun)
Masculine plural noun meaning 'devices' or 'appliances'.
Question mark
In Portuguese, the interrogative sentence is closed with a single question mark (the opening '¿' is not used).
🗨In Conversation
Quantos anos têm esses aparelhos?
How old are these devices?
Eles têm três anos, mas ainda estão em ótimo estado.
They are three years old, but they’re still in great condition.
✕Common Mistakes
Quantos anos tem esses aparelhos?
The verb must agree with the plural subject 'aparelhos'; use 'têm' (3rd person plural) instead of 'tem' (3rd person singular).
Quantos anos têm esses aparelhos?
If the devices are far from both speakers, use the distal demonstrative 'aqueles' instead of 'esses'.
↔Alternatives
Qual a idade desses aparelhos?
What is the age of these devices?
Há quanto tempo esses aparelhos foram comprados?
How long ago were these devices bought?
Esses aparelhos são de que ano?
What year are these devices from?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, when buying second‑hand electronics, it’s common to ask not only the price but also the age and usage history. Brazilians often use 'quantos anos' for objects, while 'quantos anos tem' is also used for people. Remember to match the verb 'ter' with the plural subject; saying 'Quantos anos tem esses aparelhos?' sounds ungrammatical to native speakers.