01
altern
to age
The natural process of getting older in living beings.
example
Manche Menschen scheinen kaum zu altern.
Some people hardly seem to age.
altern
to age
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'altern' (to age) belongs to the word family of 'alt' (old, adjective) and 'das Alter' (age, noun). All of these words refer to the process of getting older.
EXAMPLE
Mit dem Alter kommen oft auch die ersten grauen Haare.
With age often come the first gray hairs.
Auxiliary verb in the perfect tense
For the perfect tense of 'altern' (to age), the auxiliary verb 'haben' is usually used. However, when the result or state is emphasized, 'sein' is also common, especially in spoken language.
EXAMPLE
Er hat in den letzten Jahren stark gealtert.
He has aged a lot in recent years.
Context clue
Whether people or things are meant can be recognized from the context. When talking about living beings, 'altern' means to get older. When talking about products such as wine or cheese, it means to mature.
EXAMPLE
Mein Großvater sagt, er fühle sich zu jung zum Altern.
My grandfather says he feels too young for aging.
Use with "lassen"
To describe the maturation process of things like wine or cheese, the construction 'etwas altern lassen' (to let something age) is often used. It means giving the product time to develop its quality.
EXAMPLE
Der Winzer lässt den Wein in alten Eichenfässern altern.
The winemaker lets the wine age in old oak barrels.
Compare with
altern vs lagern
to store / camp
'lagern' and 'altern' can occur together with products like wine, cheese, or wood, but they do not mean the same thing. 'lagern' describes storing something in a place. The focus is mainly on the place and the period of time. 'altern' describes the change that happens during this time, for example when wine matures or wood changes its properties. The words can be confused because a product often ages while it is being stored. Memory aid: people or things store something; the product itself ages.
altern
In den Holzfässern altert der Wein mehrere Jahre.
The wine ages for several years in the wooden barrels.
lagern
Den Käse lagern wir im kühlen Keller.
We store the cheese in the cool cellar.
In real life
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