wie alt ich bin
The English phrase "how old I am" is translated into German as wie alt ich bin.
wie alt ich bin is used to state one's age within a larger sentence.
Which one should you use?
While wie alt ich bin is used within a sentence, Wie alt bin ich? is the correct word order for a direct question.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this subordinate clause, the conjugated verb bin moves to the very end of the phrase.
Did you know?
- While wie alt ich bin describes age, Germans often use the word Jahrgänge to refer to the specific 'vintage' or birth year of a person.
- In German culture, asking someone's age is often considered more intrusive than in English, especially in professional settings.
- The German word wie is a direct relative of the English word 'why'.
Examples in context
- Rate, wie alt ich bin.Guess how old I am.This example shows how to use the phrase in a command to guess one's age.Tatoeba #5920826 by brauchinet, translation #5919513 by mailohilohi
- Weißt du, wie alt ich bin?Do you know how old I am?This example shows how to use the phrase in a question about someone's knowledge of your age.Tatoeba #2897052 by Zaghawa, translation #3826761 by CK
- Ich weiß nicht einmal, wie alt ich bin.I don't even know how old I am.This example shows how to use the phrase when expressing a lack of knowledge about one's own age.Tatoeba #10097587 by wolfgangth, translation #4703034 by CK
- Ich bin 25 Jahre alt.I am 25 years old.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are talking about their identification documents.
- MaximilianSchau dir meinen Pass an.Look at my passport.
- SarahDa steht genau, wie alt ich bin.It says exactly how old I am.
- MaximilianDas ist wirklich ein altes Foto.That is really an old photo.
- SarahJa, aber es beweist, wie alt ich bin.Yes, but it proves how old I am.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alt, bin, ich, wie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
