Using a/desde/hasta + age in Spanish

We can express at what age, since what age or until what age something happens by using: a/desde/hasta + age respectively.

A + age in Spanish

When expressing at what age someone did/has done something we can use:

A los + age [años]

For example:

Fumé mi primer cigarrillo a los 15 años.I smoked my first cigarrette when I was 15. 

Elisa se hizo un piercing a los 16 años sin consultar a sus padres.Elisa had a piercing done at 16 without asking her parents.

A los + age is a shorter and more colloquial than saying cuando tenía + age, but they mean exactly the same thing.

Elisa se hizo un piercing cuando tenía 16 años sin consultar a sus padres.

 

Desde + age in Spanish

When expressing since what age someone did/has done/has been doing something we can use:

Desde los + age [años]

For example:

Hablo inglés perfectamente desde los trece años.I've spoken perfect English since the age of 13. (since I was 13)

Llevo viviendo sola desde los 40, cuando me divorcié.I've been living on my own since I was 40, when I got divorced.

 

Hasta + age in Spanish

Equally, when expressing until what age someone did/has done/has been doing something we can also use:

Hasta los + age [años]

Jugué para el equipo de mi ciudad hasta los 18 años.I played for my local team until I was 18 years old.

Mi abuelo no perdió el pelo hasta los 80.My grandad didn't lose his hair until he was 80.

Note that you need the article "los" in front of the age.

It is also possible to omit the word "años" and retain same meaning. But be careful if you drop the word "años" because it could sound as if you were talking about a specific decade depending on the context. Look at this example which can have two interpretations:

Hice muchas locuras hasta los 90.
I did lots of crazy things until I was 90.
I did lots of crazy things until the nineties.

You can also combine desde and hasta. For example:

Mi hermana estudió Arte en la Universidad de Sevilla desde los 19 hasta los 22. My sister studied Art at the University of Seville from when she was 19 until she was 22.

Estuve casada desde los 25 hasta los 35. Luego nos separamos.I was married from when I was 25 until I was 35. Then we separated.

Desde los + age [años] is a shorter and more colloquial alternative to the longer desde que + [verb] that expresses the same idea.  Compare:

Mi hermana estudió Arte desde que tenía 19 años.

with:

Mi hermana estudió Arte desde los 19 años.

 

See also:

Want to make sure your Spanish sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »

Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics

Examples and resources

Llevo viviendo sola desde los 40, cuando me divorcié.I've been living on my own since I was 40, when I got divorced.
Mi abuelo no perdió el pelo hasta los 80.My grandad didn't lose his hair until he was 80.
Fumé mi primer cigarrillo a los 15 años.I smoked my first cigarrette when I was 15. 
Elisa se hizo un piercing a los 16 años sin consultar a sus padres.Elisa had a piercing done at 16 without asking her parents.
Jugué para el equipo de mi ciudad hasta los 18 años.I played for my local team until I was 18 years old.
Estuve casada desde los 25 hasta los 35. Luego nos separamos.I was married from when I was 25 until I was 35. Then we separated.
Mi hermana estudió Arte en la Universidad de Sevilla desde los 19 hasta los 22. My sister studied Art at the University of Seville from when she was 19 until she was 22.
Hablo inglés perfectamente desde los trece años.I've spoken perfect English since the age of 13. (since I was 13)
Getting that for you now...