mein Alter
/maɪ̯n ˈaltər/word by word
The English phrase "my age" is translated into German as mein Alter.
mein Alter refers to the specific number of years a person has lived.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the possessive pronoun mein (my) and the neuter noun Alter (age).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Alter is a neuter noun, which is why the possessive pronoun mein does not take an ending in the nominative or accusative cases.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɪ̯n ˈaltər/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using mein Alt (my old). You must use the noun form Alter to correctly express "age".
Did you know?
- Depending on the context, calling someone mein Alter in a very slangy way can refer to your 'old man' or father.
- When talking about age, Germans often avoid using the noun Alter entirely, preferring to say Ich bin … Jahre alt rather than Mein Alter ist …
- The word Alter can also refer to a 'vintage' when talking about wine or cheese, rather than a person.
Examples in context
- Er hat mein Alter.He's my age.This sentence shows how to say someone is your age using mein Alter.Tatoeba #899096 by Espi, translation #674278 by yessoos
- Ich spüre mein Alter.I feel my age.This sentence illustrates the expression "I feel my age" using mein Alter.Tatoeba #1699044 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #31175 by CK
- Kannst du mein Alter erraten?Can you guess my age?This sentence is useful for asking someone to guess your age using mein Alter.Tatoeba #734787 by Manfredo, translation #251565 by CK
- Ich bin 25 Jahre alt.I am 25 years old.
- Mein Alter beträgt 30 Jahre.My age is 30.
- Ich bin 20 Jahre alt.I am 20 years old.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Maximilian are filling out a form together.
- LauraSoll ich mein Alter hier eintragen?Should I enter my age here?
- MaximilianJa, Laura, das ist notwendig.Yes, Laura, that is necessary.
- LauraIch schreibe mein Alter jetzt auf.I am writing down my age now.
- MaximilianPerfekt, dann ist das Formular fertig.Perfect, then the form is finished.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mein, Alter) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
