German word

Alter

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaltɐ/

Meaning

  • neuter nounage

Example

Im Alter hat man mehr Erfahrung.

As people grow older, they gain more experience.

Illustration for Alter (age)

More examples

Darf ich nach deinem Alter fragen?

May I ask your age?

Core concept

Years carried by a person, viewed either as a measurable number or as the condition of being old.

Common phrases

  • nach dem Alter fragen

    ask someone's age

  • das Alter angeben

    state one's age

  • im Alter von 20 Jahren

    at the age of 20

Similar words

Lebensalter: The number of years lived from birth to the present.
Altersangabe: A number or phrase stating someone's age.
Altersgruppe: A category or group of people of roughly the same age.
Geburtsjahr: The calendar year in which someone was born.

Definition in German

Das Alter bezeichnet die Eigenschaft einer Person, wie alt sie ist, oft angegeben in Jahren.

Word origin

Alter was formed in German by turning the adjective alt into a noun, a development also reflected in the related English words old and elder.

Usage tips

  • In colloquial speech, Alter! is a slang form of address or an exclamation and does not ask about someone's age.

Other meanings

  • old agenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • Altersangabeage declarationnoun
  • altersbedingtage-relatedadjective
  • alterngrow oldverb

Word lists with this word