How Do I Say, "He lived to be 99 years old."

Question

I came up with:

Él tuvo 99 años cuando murió.
Él vivió hasta los 99 años de edad. (SpanishDict Direct Translation)

Can someone please help? Thanks.

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Answer 1

This is where most translations need to be written in an idiomatic way.

Literally, Él vivió para ser 99 años. Clearly, this does not make sense, but I'd understand this like Él vivió para tener 99 años — this is a much better expression but yet does not achieve the proper idiomatic Spanish meaning. Hence, by saying hasta los 99 años, the meaning implied shows you the limit the person reached once he died, and it's a perfect way to put it.

Saying,

• Él tuvo 99 años cuando murió, it's what you'd idiomatically understand as he died at age 99.

My version is just a little different than yours. - Daniela2041, Sep 28, 2016

Answer 2

99 years is quite old, so he most likely died of natural causes so it should be se murió. We don't use se with morir when it's about dying unexpectly like when someone is killed. Other than this, both translations are good, but the second is closer to your wording in English.

Answer 3

Another version is:

Vivió hasta la edad de noventa y nueve años.

Abajo hay una foto del dictador cubano, Fidel Castro, que tiene unos noventa y pico años.

Oh dear he does not look a very happy chappy. - ray76, Sep 28, 2016