alt
/alt/
The German word alt translates to 'alt' in English.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Bavarian dialect, the word oid is used for alt.
How do you pronounce it?
/alt/
Did you know?
- In some regions, the term alt is used to describe a specific type of traditional beer or a style of brewing, such as 'Düsseldorf Alt'.
- The German word alt is a distant relative of the English word 'old' and comes from a root meaning 'grow' or 'nourish'.
- The word alt is used in the phrase alt genug, which can be used as a sarcastic way to tell someone they should know better.
Examples in context
- Zur Erzeugung des Zeichens „½“ gebe man bei gedrückter Alt-Taste auf dem Ziffernblock die Zahlen 0189 ein.In order to write a ½ sign, hold the "Alt" key and type 0189 on the numeric keypad.This example is useful for demonstrating how to use the alt key on a keyboard.Tatoeba #6702465 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6310298 by Hybrid
- Der Professor ist älter als der Student.The professor is older than the student.
- Meine Mutter ist schon alt, aber sie ist immer noch fit.My mother is already old, but she is still fit.
- Unser Opa ist schon wirklich alt, aber er ist trotzdem sehr aktiv.Our grandpa is really old, but he is still very active.
- Die hochbetagte Dame feierte ihren 100. Geburtstag.The very old lady celebrated her 100th birthday.
- Mein Hund ist schon sehr alt.My dog is already very old.
- Das Auto ist viel zu alt.The car is far too old.
Example conversation
Laura and Julian are discussing a vintage camera in a shop.
- LauraIst diese Kamera wirklich so alt?Is this camera really that old?
- JulianJa, sie ist über hundert Jahre alt.Yes, it is over a hundred years old.
- LauraSie sieht trotzdem noch sehr gut aus.It still looks very good, though.
- JulianDas stimmt, sie ist ein tolles Modell.That's true, it is a great model.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry alt, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
