Ägypten
/ɛˈɡʏptn̩/neuter
Egypt in German is Ägypten. Wiktionary also lists Altes Ägypten and Altägypten.
Meaning: country in North Africa (name)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ägypten | /ɛˈɡʏptn̩/ | neuter |
| Altes Ägypten | neuter | |
| Altägypten | neuter | |
| Egyptn | neuter | |
| Ägyptn | neuter |
Ägypten is the name of the country located in North Africa. To describe people or things originating from or related to the country, the adjective ägyptisch is used.
Which one should you use?
Altägypten is a common compound noun used to refer to the historical period, whereas Altes Ägypten is also used to refer to the civilization of Ancient Egypt.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, the name Ägypten does not take a definite article when used with prepositions like 'in' or 'aus'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɛˈɡʏptn̩/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly add a definite article before Ägypten, but in German, country names of this type are used without an article.
Did you know?
- The German name Ägypten actually traces its roots back to the Ancient Greek word Aíguptos, rather than the Egyptian name for the land.
- German uses the specific prefix Alt- in Altägypten to denote antiquity, a common linguistic pattern for ancient civilizations like Altrömer for ancient Romans.
- In academic German, Altägyptologie is the formal term for the study of ancient Egypt, combining the country name with the suffix for 'science'.
Examples in context
- Er lebt in Ägypten.He lives in Egypt.This sentence shows how to use Ägypten with the preposition 'in'.Tatoeba #10792068 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10791848 by ddnktr
- Ich bin in Ägypten.I'm in Egypt.This sentence demonstrates the use of Ägypten with the preposition 'in'.Tatoeba #13230566 by Vortarulo, translation #5886623 by OsoHombre
- Sami ist aus Ägypten.Sami is from Egypt.This sentence shows how to use Ägypten with the preposition 'aus'.Tatoeba #7696774 by wolfgangth, translation #6447929 by OsoHombre
- Ich träume davon, nach Ägypten zu reisen.I dream of traveling to Egypt.
- Die Lage in Ägypten ist politisch instabil.The situation in Egypt is politically unstable.
- 77 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are discussing their travel plans.
- MaximilianMöchtest du nach Ägypten reisen?Would you like to travel to Egypt?
- LauraJa, ich möchte unbedingt nach Ägypten.Yes, I really want to go to Egypt.
- MaximilianLaura, hast du schon ein Flugticket?Laura, do you already have a flight ticket?
- LauraNein, ich buche es erst morgen.No, I am only booking it tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “egypt” translations and entries Ägypten, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ägypten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
