Recently, my distant relative had a birthday. Is it proper to ask him:
How old did you get?
In the question, I would like to emphasize the fact that his age has changed recently.
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"How old did you get" would sound odd to a native speaker because you get (become) older, don't become age or acquire it as a thing. If you are mentioning the birthday, you could add, "How old did you turn?" or even better, as Stew C suggests, "How old are you now?". You mention "his age". Men tend to be fine answering questions about their age. But ask a woman about her age or weight at your own peril.– fixer1234Apr 10, 2017 at 20:46
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2"Hey Happy Birthday! I don't remember, is this a milestone birthday?" They will answer you with thanks and offer the years if they so choose.– WRXApr 10, 2017 at 20:54
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1You can get old in English but you don't ask someone how old they got. To get old means: to become old.– LambieOct 7, 2019 at 18:21
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2 Answers
Well, it depends. In this situation I would say, "How old did you turn?" But if you are generally asking how old someone is ask, "how old are you?"
Mm.. not really. That makes it unclear as to when the event took place that you are referring to. Instead we would say (AmE): "How old are you now?" Using now also makes it clear there was a recent change.
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1I agree: "How old are you now?" is the usual way of asking for age anywhere in the world in English. Oct 7, 2019 at 17:48