Vieux (or its feminine form, vieille, and vieil before a vowel or silent h) is the most common way to say “old” in French. But just like in English, there are many other nuanced and descriptive words you can use.

As you learn French, you'll find that having a richer vocabulary for common concepts like "old" can make your conversations much more precise and engaging.

Let’s look at 9 different ways to say “old” (and, sometimes, more than just “old”) in French, and discover when to use each one!

The standard 'old' (masculine, masculine before vowel, feminine) – vieux/vieil/vieille

The standard 'old' (masculine, masculine before vowel, feminine) – vieux/vieil/vieille

Vieux/vieil/vieille is the most common and versatile adjective in French to describe something or someone as 'old'.

Like many French adjectives, vieux must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Here's how it breaks down:vieux - masculine singular (before a consonant or 'h' aspiré) and masculine plural (regardless of the following letter)vieil - masculine singular (before a vowel or 'h' muet)vieille - feminine singularvieilles - feminine plural

This adjective can be used for people, animals, and objects, in both formal and informal contexts. It's your primary choice when you want to say 'old'.

The most notable nuance is the existence of two distinct masculine singular forms: vieux and vieil.

The choice between vieux and vieil depends on the first letter of the noun it precedes. Use vieil (pronounced like 'vieille' but without the 'e' sound at the end) when the masculine singular noun begins with a vowel or a silent 'h' (h muet). In all other masculine singular cases (before a consonant or an 'h' aspiré), use vieux.

For example, you'd say un vieux livre (an old book) because 'livre' starts with a consonant. But you'd say un vieil arbre (an old tree) because 'arbre' starts with a vowel, and un vieil homme (an old man) because 'homme' starts with a silent 'h'.

While vieux generally means 'old', it can sometimes take on a slightly derogatory or endearing connotation depending on context and tone. For objects, it simply means 'worn out' or 'aged'.

Remembering the agreement rules is key. Always check the gender and number of the noun, and if it's masculine singular, also check if it starts with a vowel/silent 'h' to decide between vieux and vieil.

In French, to avoid directly calling a person 'vieux' (which can sometimes sound a bit blunt or even rude if not used carefully), people often use softer expressions like âgé(e) (aged) or d'un certain âge (of a certain age) when referring to elderly people, especially in more formal settings. However, vieux is perfectly fine for objects or animals.

💡 * Un vieux chat dormait sur le canapé. (An old cat was sleeping on the sofa.)

• J'ai vu un vieil ami hier. (I saw an old friend yesterday.)
• Elle a acheté une vieille maison à la campagne. (She bought an old house in the countryside.)
• Ce sont de vieux souvenirs. (These are old memories.)
• Nous habitons dans de vieilles rues pavées. (We live in old cobbled streets.)

The 'old' as in former or ancient – ancien/ancienne

The 'old' as in former or ancient – ancien/ancienne

The adjective ancien/ancienne in French is a fascinating word because its meaning changes significantly depending on whether it's placed before or after the noun it modifies. This distinction is crucial for conveying the correct nuance.

When ancien/ancienne is placed before the noun, it translates to 'former' or 'previous'. It refers to something that used to be but no longer is, in terms of status, role, or ownership.

For instance, mon ancien professeur means 'my former teacher' – someone who taught you previously, but doesn't anymore. Similarly, son ancienne maison refers to 'his former house', indicating a house he used to live in.

Conversely, when ancien/ancienne is placed after the noun, it means 'ancient' or 'old' in terms of age, age-old, or antique. It describes the physical age or historical depth of something.

Consider un tableau ancien ('an ancient painting' or 'an old painting') or une ville ancienne ('an ancient city'). Here, it emphasizes the age, historical significance, or traditional nature of the item.

Mastering the position of ancien/ancienne is key to precise communication in French. Remember: before the noun for 'former', and after the noun for 'ancient' or 'old in age'.

💡 * Mon ancien collège est devenu un supermarché. (My former school became a supermarket.)

• J'ai acheté une voiture ancienne. (I bought an old/vintage car.)
• Elle a revu son ancien petit ami. (She saw her former boyfriend again.)
• C'est une tradition très ancienne. (It's a very ancient tradition.)
• Nous avons visité un château ancien. (We visited an ancient castle.)

The 'old' as in aged or elderly – âgé/âgée

The 'old' as in aged or elderly – âgé/âgée

When you want to describe someone or something (usually a living being) as being 'old' in terms of age, the most common and polite adjective to use is âgé (masculine singular) or âgée (feminine singular).

This adjective changes its ending to agree with the noun it describes:âgé: for a masculine singular person or animal (e.g., un homme âgé)âgée: for a feminine singular person or animal (e.g., une femme âgée)âgés: for masculine plural or mixed-gender plural (e.g., des hommes âgés, des parents âgés)âgées: for feminine plural (e.g., des femmes âgées)

As an adjective, âgé/âgée is most frequently used with the verb être (to be) to form a descriptive phrase. For example, Il est âgé (He is old) or Elle est âgée de soixante ans (She is sixty years old).

Using âgé/âgée is generally considered a neutral to polite way to refer to someone's age, especially when discussing older individuals. It emphasizes the passage of time rather than implying decrepitude, making it a respectful choice.

Remember that âgé/âgée is primarily used for people and animals. It generally isn't used for inanimate objects or things that are 'old' in the sense of being worn out or ancient, for which other French words are more appropriate.

💡 * Mon grand-père est très âgé. (My grandfather is very old.)* Elle a l'air âgée pour son âge. (She looks old for her age.)* Ce chien âgé a besoin de beaucoup de repos. (This old dog needs a lot of rest.)* Les personnes âgées ont souvent droit à des réductions. (Elderly people often have the right to discounts.)* Il est âgé de quatre-vingt-dix ans. (He is ninety years old.)

The 'old' as in antique or very old – antique

The French word antique is an adjective used to describe something that is ancient or very old, often possessing historical or artistic value. It's a direct equivalent to the English 'antique' or 'ancient'.

Unlike other words for 'old' (like vieux), antique is primarily applied to objects, periods, or styles, and rarely to people. It evokes a sense of age combined with quality, rarity, or cultural significance, such as an 'antique vase' or 'ancient civilization'.

As an adjective, antique must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It remains the same for both masculine and feminine singular nouns (e.g., un meuble antique, une statue antique), but takes an 's' for plural nouns (des meubles antiques, des statues antiques).

The noun form, l'Antiquité (feminine), refers specifically to Antiquity or the ancient world, encompassing ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. This highlights its strong connection to historical periods.

💡 * J'ai trouvé une montre antique au marché aux puces. (I found an antique watch at the flea market.)

• Ces ruines sont vraiment antiques. (These ruins are truly ancient.)
• Elle collectionne des bijoux antiques. (She collects antique jewelry.)
• Nous étudions l'art antique en classe. (We are studying ancient art in class.)
• C'est une pièce de monnaie antique très rare. (It's a very rare antique coin.)

The 'old' as in dilapidated or decrepit (for things) – vétuste

The French adjective vétuste specifically describes something as old in the sense of being dilapidated, decrepit, or worn out. It conveys a strong sense of decay or poor condition due to age.

Unlike simply saying something is vieux (old), vétuste carries the connotation that the object or building is no longer in good working order or structurally sound. It suggests a need for repair or replacement.

This term is almost exclusively applied to inanimate objects, particularly buildings, infrastructure, machinery, or furniture. You wouldn't typically use it to describe an old person or an old idea.

As an adjective, vétuste agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. For example, un immeuble vétuste (a dilapidated building) or des machines vétustes (decrepit machines). Note that the feminine form is also vétuste.

While vieux (or vieil / vieille) is a general term for old, vétuste emphasizes the condition of being old and worn out. A vieux livre (an old book) might be cherished, but a livre vétuste would likely be falling apart.

💡 * L'ancien hôpital était devenu complètement vétuste et dangereux. (The old hospital had become completely dilapidated and dangerous.)

• Ils ont démoli les maisons vétustes pour construire de nouveaux appartements. (They demolished the decrepit houses to build new apartments.)
• La machine à laver est vétuste, il faut la remplacer. (The washing machine is worn out/decrepit, we need to replace it.)
• Malgré son aspect vétuste, ce vieux vélo fonctionne encore. (Despite its dilapidated appearance, this old bike still works.)

The 'old' as in old-fashioned or outdated – démodé/démodée

When you want to describe something as old-fashioned, outdated, or simply no longer in vogue in French, the adjective you'll most commonly use is démodé (or démodée).

Like many French adjectives, démodé must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll see it as démodé (masculine singular), démodée (feminine singular), démodés (masculine plural), and démodées (feminine plural).

Its most frequent application is in describing fashion, clothing, hairstyles, or objects that have fallen out of style. Think of a piece of furniture from a past decade, a forgotten music genre, or clothing that's no longer trendy.

Beyond physical items, démodé can also be used to refer to ideas, opinions, or even attitudes that are considered archaic or no longer relevant in contemporary society. It implies a lack of modernity or progress.

💡 * Cette jupe est complètement démodée. (This skirt is completely old-fashioned.)

• Ses idées sur l'éducation sont un peu démodées. (His/Her ideas on education are a bit outdated.)
• Je ne peux pas croire que tu écoutes encore cette musique, c'est tellement démodé ! (I can't believe you still listen to this music, it's so outdated!)
• Leur décoration intérieure est très démodée, on dirait les années 80. (Their interior decoration is very old-fashioned, it looks like the 80s.)

The 'old' as in obsolete or outmoded – suranné/surannée

When you want to describe something as 'old' in the sense of being obsolete, outmoded, antiquated, or simply out of date, the French adjective to use is suranné (masculine) or surannée (feminine).

Unlike other words for 'old' (like vieux or ancien), suranné specifically implies that something is no longer fashionable, relevant, or current. It suggests a style or idea that belongs to a bygone era, often evoking a sense of quaintness or even a gentle disdain for its lack of modernity.

As an adjective, suranné must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll use suranné for a masculine singular noun, surannée for a feminine singular noun, surannés for masculine plural, and surannées for feminine plural.

💡 * Ce style de musique est un peu suranné. (This music style is a bit outmoded.)

• Elle porte des vêtements aux coupes surannées. (She wears clothes with antiquated cuts.)
• Ces idées sur l'éducation sont complètement surannées. (These ideas about education are completely obsolete.)
• Le charme de cette vieille demeure est suranné. (The charm of this old residence is antiquated.)
• Il a un vocabulaire un peu suranné. (He has a slightly old-fashioned vocabulary.)

The 'old' as in aged or made to look old – vieilli/vieillie

When describing something as 'old' with the nuance of being aged or made to look old, the French adjective to use is vieilli (masculine singular) or vieillie (feminine singular).

Vieilli/vieillie implies that an object, material, or even a person's appearance has acquired the characteristics of age, either naturally over time (like aged wood or matured wine) or through a deliberate process to create a vintage or worn look. This differs from vieux/vieille, which is a more general term for 'old' in age.

As an adjective, vieilli must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Remember: vieilli (m.s.), vieillie (f.s.), vieillis (m.pl.), and vieillies (f.pl.).

💡 * Le bois vieilli ajoute du caractère à la pièce. (The aged wood adds character to the room.)

• Elle portait une veste en cuir vieilli. (She was wearing an aged leather jacket.)
• Ce fromage est vieilli pendant six mois. (This cheese is aged for six months.)
• Ses traits étaient vieillis par la fatigue. (Her features were aged by fatigue.)
• Ils ont acheté une commode aux finitions vieillies. (They bought a chest of drawers with aged finishes.)

The 'old' as in of a certain age, elderly (polite) – d'un certain âge

When you want to refer to someone as 'old' in a polite and respectful way in French, especially when speaking about an elderly person, the most appropriate phrase to use is d'un certain âge.

This expression literally translates to 'of a certain age' and serves as a euphemism, much like its English counterpart. It's often used to avoid the more direct, and sometimes perceived as impolite, terms like vieux (old, masculine) or vieille (old, feminine), which can sometimes carry a negative connotation depending on the context and tone.

D'un certain âge is an adjective phrase that typically follows the noun it modifies. It is invariable, meaning it does not change for gender (e.g., un homme d'un certain âge, une femme d'un certain âge) or number (e.g., des personnes d'un certain âge).

While vieux and vieille are not always offensive, d'un certain âge is a safer and more universally accepted polite option. It's particularly useful in formal settings, when you are not intimately familiar with the person, or simply when you wish to convey a sense of respect and delicacy.

💡 *Ma grand-mère est une femme d'un certain âge et elle est très sage. (My grandmother is a lady of a certain age and she is very wise.)
*Le professeur d'histoire est un monsieur d'un certain âge. (The history teacher is a gentleman of a certain age.)
*Beaucoup de personnes d'un certain âge aiment se promener dans ce parc. (Many elderly people like to walk in this park.)
*Elle a rencontré une dame d'un certain âge qui lui a raconté de belles histoires. (She met a lady of a certain age who told her beautiful stories.)

Are there other ways to say 'old' in French?

Are there other ways to say “old” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “old” in French. But French is rich with terms to describe age, from formal to colloquial, and even regional variations you might encounter!

To explore further, try an online search for “comment dire vieux en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might discover interesting synonyms for vieux or words related to age. Always check a word’s definition and observe its usage in context before incorporating it into your vocabulary.

Pay close attention as you read, watch, and listen to French media — you'll likely encounter diverse ways to describe age and older individuals.

For a deeper dive into synonyms for vieux or terms related to age in French, the WordReference entry for vieux is an excellent starting point!

I hope this article has broadened your understanding of how to express 'old' in French. To conclude, here's a thought-provoking quote by Marcel Pagnol: On n'est pas vieux tant qu'on a le désir d'apprendre. (You're not old as long as you have the desire to learn.)