old

vieux, ancien

Qui vit ou existe depuis longtemps.

En anglais simple : Having lived or existed for a long time.

• This is an old house.
• An old woman sat beside me.
• The oldest tree in the park has fallen.

Synonymes : aged, elderly, ancient

Contraires : young, new

Expressions courantes : an old man, an old tree, an old building

âgé

Avec un nombre ou dans une question, indique depuis combien de temps une personne ou une chose existe.

En anglais simple : Used with a number or question to say how long someone or something has existed.

• I am ten years old.
• How old is this building?
• Her baby was only two weeks old.

Comment l'utiliser : be + number + years/months old (The baby is six months old.); how old + be + subject (How old is your dog?)

Expressions courantes : how old, years old, months old

ancien, précédent

Que l’on utilisait, connaissait ou avait dans sa vie auparavant, mais plus maintenant.

En anglais simple : Used, known, or connected with you in the past, but no longer.

• I miss my old school.
• She sent the letter to my old address.
• Was your old boss friendly?

Synonymes : former, previous

Contraires : current, new

Expressions courantes : my old school, an old address, your old job, the old system

rassis, plus très frais

Conservé si longtemps qu’il n’est plus frais et peut présenter un danger à l’usage.

En anglais simple : Kept so long that it is no longer fresh or may be unsafe to use.

• This bread is old and hard.
• She threw away the old milk.
• Don’t eat that old food from the fridge.

Synonymes : stale, past its best

Contraires : fresh

Expressions courantes : old bread, old milk, old food

les personnes âgées, les vieux

Les personnes âgées prises comme un groupe, généralement dans l’expression « the old ».

En anglais simple : Older people considered together as a group, usually in the expression “the old”.

• The old need good healthcare.
• The festival brought together young and old.
• The charity provides meals for the old.

Comment l'utiliser : the old + plural verb (The old are often affected by extreme heat.)

Synonymes : older people, the elderly

Contraires : the young

Expressions courantes : the old, young and old, care for the old

vieux

Quelqu’un de plus âgé que soi, notamment un adulte du point de vue d’un adolescent.

En anglais simple : A person older than you, especially an adult as seen by a teenager.

• The teenagers called him an old.
• The olds complained about the loud music.
• She joked that the party was full of olds.

Synonymes : oldie, oldster, geezer

Expressions courantes : an old, the olds, some boring olds