Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Erwachsener | /ɛɐ̯ˈvaksənɐ/ | masculine |
| Erwachsene | /ɛɐ̯ˈvaksənə/ | feminine |
The term is used to refer to a fully grown human. While Erwachsener and Erwachsene are common ways to describe an adult, in specific formal or legal contexts, you might encounter the term Volljährige(r), which refers specifically to someone who has reached the legal age of adulthood.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun is derived from the adjective erwachsen, meaning grown, combined with the suffix -er to create a substantive adjective.
Which one should you use?
Use Erwachsener when referring to a male adult and Erwachsene when referring to a female adult.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form Erwachsene is used when referring specifically to a female adult.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɛɐ̯ˈvaksənɐ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the adjective erwachsen as a noun. In German, you must use the declined substantive forms like Erwachsener when referring to a person.
Did you know?
- The word Erwachsener comes from wachsen, meaning 'to grow', but also shares a root with wach, meaning 'awake'. To become an adult in German is linguistically similar to 'waking up'.
- The word erwachsen is a past participle of the verb erwachsen, which is a slightly more formal or poetic way of saying 'to grow' or 'to emerge'.
- While Erwachsene means 'adult', the word wachsen is also used in the phrase über sich hinauswachsen, which means to exceed one's own expectations or limits.
Examples in context
- Tom ist kein Erwachsener.Tom isn't an adult.This sentence is useful for showing how to negate the noun Erwachsener.Tatoeba #9988478 by wolfgangth, translation #3636197 by CK
- Benimm dich wie ein Erwachsener!Act like an adult.This sentence shows the use of the noun Erwachsener in an imperative phrase.Tatoeba #12115066 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #12114488 by CK
- Du bist jetzt ein erwachsener Mensch.You are now an adult.This sentence demonstrates how the adjective and noun forms relate in a sentence.Tatoeba #3963054 by Kuraimegami, translation #16387 by CK
- Die Erwachsenen in der Versammlung waren alle sehr aufmerksam.The adults in the meeting were all very attentive.
- Nur Volljährige dürfen an dieser Umfrage teilnehmen.Only adults are allowed to participate in this survey.
- Meine erwachsenen Kinder ziehen bald aus.My adult children are moving out soon.
- Er ist bereits volljährig und kann seine eigenen Entscheidungen treffen.He is already an adult and can make his own decisions.
- 36 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian are at a cinema ticket counter.
- SarahIch bin ein Erwachsener.I am an adult.
- JulianIch bin auch ein Erwachsener.I am also an adult.
- SarahWir brauchen also zwei Tickets für Erwachsene.So we need two adult tickets.
- JulianGenau, das ist richtig.Exactly, that is correct.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “adult” translations and entries Erwachsener, Erwachsene, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Erwachsene, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
