anys

Anys is the Catalan word for years in the plural form, used to denote calendar years, durations, and ages. The singular form is any, meaning a single year, while anys expresses more than one year.

Etymology and related languages: Anys derives from the Latin annus and has cognates across other Romance languages, such as Spanish años, French ans, Italian anni, and Portuguese anos. The Catalan spelling reflects historical sound changes within the language family.

Usage and examples: Anys is used in a variety of time-related expressions. For example, tinc 25 anys means I am 25 years old. Fa tres anys means three years ago, and durant molts anys means for many years. Els últims anys refers to recent years, while els anys vinents means the coming years. When referring to a single upcoming year, the singular form any is used, as in l'any proper. Adjectives can modify anys as in anys llargs (long years) or anys difícils (difficult years), with agreement in number.

Geographic and cultural context: Anys is standard in Catalan-speaking regions, including Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and parts of Valencia and Aragon. It coexists with the Spanish “años” in bilingual contexts, where each language maintains its own orthography and usage.

See also: Related terms in Catalan include any (year), and cross-language cognates include años (Spanish), ans (French), anni (Italian), and anos (Portuguese).