wie alt bist du?
wie alt bist du? is how you say how old are you? in German.
This phrase is a question used to ask someone about their age.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase wie alt literally translates to how old.
Which one should you use?
You should use Wie alt sind Sie? instead when speaking to adults you do not know well, superiors or in formal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase wie alt bist du? uses the informal second-person singular pronoun du, which is used with friends, family and children.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Wie viel alt. English speakers sometimes mistakenly use this (meaning how much old) instead of the correct Wie alt.
Did you know?
- In Germany, asking an adult their age is often considered impolite or intrusive, especially with women.
- While English uses 'thou' as an archaic second-person singular pronoun, the German word du is its direct linguistic relative.
- In some formal contexts, Germans may avoid the question Wie alt sind Sie? entirely and ask for a birth date instead.
Examples in context
- Entschuldigen Sie, wie alt sind Sie?Excuse me, how old are you?
- Darf ich fragen, wie alt Sie sind?May I ask how old you are?
- Wie alt bist du?How old are you?
- Na, wie alt bist'n du?So, how old are you?
Example conversation
Two children meet at a playground.
- JuliaHallo! Ich bin Julia. Wie alt bist du?Hello! I am Julia. How old are you?
- MaximilianIch bin Maximilian und ich bin sechs Jahre alt.I am Maximilian and I am six years old.
- JuliaIch bin auch sechs!I am six too!
- MaximilianDas ist ja toll!That is great!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alt, bist, du, wie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
