alter Mann
/ˈaltər man/word by wordmasculine
The English phrase 'old man' is translated into German as alter Mann. Wiktionary also lists Greis and Alter.
Meaning: elderly man (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| alter Mann | /ˈaltər man/ (word by word) | masculine |
| Greis | [ɡʀaɪ̯s] (narrow) | masculine |
| Alter | /ˈaltər/ | indefinite, masculine |
The phrase is used to describe an elderly male.
Which one should you use?
alter Mann is a neutral description of an elderly man. In contrast, Greis refers specifically to a very old, often frail man and carries a more literary or formal tone. If you wish to be more polite and formal, you can use the phrase älterer Herr, which literally translates to 'older man'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
alter Mann is a neutral term. In colloquial German, Alter is used as a slang term for 'dude' or 'mate'. For a more polite and formal way to refer to an older man, use älterer Herr.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 'alter Mann' in the genitive case (e.g., 'the of the old man'), the form changes to alten Mannes.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaltər man/
Did you know?
- The literary word Greis is a linguistic cousin of the English word 'grey'. Both words share a common root referring to the color of a person's hair as they age.
- While Alter is used as 'dude' among friends, calling a stranger Alter can be perceived as highly disrespectful or aggressive depending on the tone.
- In German, the word Mann can historically refer to a human being regardless of gender, similar to the Old English use of 'man'.
Examples in context
- Ich bin ein alter Mann.I'm an old man.This sentence shows how to use the term to refer to oneself using Alter.Tatoeba #1306714 by al_ex_an_der, translation #1306715 by CK
- Tom ist ein alter Mann.Tom is an old man.This sentence shows how to use the term to describe a third person using Alter.Tatoeba #3767309 by Tamy, translation #3734758 by CK
- Du bist ein alter Mann.You're an old man.This sentence shows how to use the term when addressing someone directly using Alter.Tatoeba #12666505 by Waldelfe, translation #9162428 by CK
- 97 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are walking in a park.
- LukasWer ist dieser alte Mann dort?Who is that old man over there?
- SarahDas ist mein Großvater.That is my grandfather.
- LukasEr sieht wie ein sehr glücklicher alter Mann aus.He looks like a very happy old man.
- SarahJa, er genießt sein Leben.Yes, he enjoys his life.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “old man” translations and entries Greis, Alter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Alter, Mann) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Alter, Greis, Mann, greis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
