當我們說湯姆是19歲,英文會講 Tom is 19 或 Tom is 19 years of age。但是「a wife(老婆) of 19 years」的years並不是「年齡 (years of age,年紀的年數)」,而是「年份的長度 / 以年為單位的時長」。
「a wife of 19 years」是長達19年的妻子,也就是結縭19年的老婆,根本不是19歲的老婆,和年紀一點也扯不上關係。那麼外國人都是怎麼使用「a wife of + 數字 + years」這個句型呢?(也可把老婆換成husband老公)
BREAKING NEWS : BTS’ Jin has a wife of 1 year
插播即時新聞:防彈少年團員金碩珍有結婚一年之妻
I am a 38-year-old married woman, a wife of 10 years, and a mother to a 3.5-year-old daughter.
我是38歲的已婚女性,做了十年的人妻,也是三歲半女兒的母親。
Mary left behind a husband of 20 years and 4 kids, ages 10-18, the oldest of whom recently started college.
瑪莉逝世離開了結縭20年的丈夫與4位年紀10歲到18歲的孩子,最年長的孩子最近才剛開始上大學。
My wife has been around for + 數字 + year(s)
「結縭19年的妻子」的另一種講法是My wife has been around for 19 years。around是「在...的周圍、在...的身邊」,所以這句話是說老婆在我身邊有19年了,也就是已結婚19年。這句還能再替換成My wife has been with me for 19 years。with me是陪伴我、和我在一起的意思。
描述年齡的幾種講法
釐清以上概念後,再來看有哪些方式可描述一個人的年齡。
I am 20.
I am 20 years of age.
I am 20 years old.
我20歲了。
The 20-year-old amateur(業餘、素人) singer(歌手) has gone viral(爆紅) over(遍佈、覆蓋) the Internet.
The amateur singer who is 20 years old has gone viral over the Internet.
這位20歲的素人歌手在網路爆紅。
I have been through 20 years of my life.
我走過了人生20年。
At 25 (years old / years of age), Lady Gaga has made her name known to the world.