ċild
neuter
In Old English, 'child' is translated as ċild, bearn or umbor.
Meaning: son or daughter, someone's child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Old English | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ċild | neuter | |
| bearn | /bæ͜ɑrn/ | neuter |
| umbor | /ˈum.bor/ | neuter |
These terms all refer to a son, a daughter or someone's offspring.
Which one should you use?
ċild is the most common term and is the direct ancestor of the modern English word 'child'. bearn is a synonym that often refers to offspring or the concept of bearing a child. umbor is a less frequent synonym for a child or offspring.
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms are neuter nouns. The plural form of bearn is bearnu.
Examples in context
- Þæt ċild is Ēadweardes sunu.That child is Edward's son.This sentence shows how to use ċild to identify a son.Tatoeba #8548421 by Rawrren, translation #8548422 by Rawrren
- late 9th century, Old English Martyrology
Hīe wǣron twēntiġ ġēara samod ǣr þon þe hīe bearn hæfdon.They were together for twenty years before they had a child.This sentence demonstrates the use of bearn in the context of having a child.
Example conversation
Osric and Eadgyth are talking about a neighbor's young son.
- OsricHwǣr is þæt ċild?Where is the child?
- EadgythHē is on þām hūse.He is in the house.
- OsricIs þæt ċild gōd?Is the child good?
- EadgythGēa, hē is swīðe glæd.Yes, he is very cheerful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “child” translations and entries bearn, umbor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
