ancestor
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ancestor
A person in one's own line of descent from whom one is descended, especially someone more distant than one's grandparents.
Meine Vorfahren sind vor 200 Jahren aus Polen eingewandert.
My ancestors immigrated from Poland 200 years ago.
The word is made up of 'vor' (earlier in time) and 'Fahre'. A 'Vorfahre' (ancestor) is therefore someone who was there 'before' you in the line of descent.
Mein Urgroßvater ist mein direkter Vorfahre.
My great-grandfather is my direct ancestor.
'Vorfahre' (ancestor) is a weak noun (N-declension). This means that it takes the ending '-n' in all cases except the nominative singular.
Er recherchiert über das Leben seines Vorfahren.
He is researching the life of his ancestor.
Although the singular form exists, the word is very often used in the plural, 'die Vorfahren' (ancestors), to describe the entire line of descent or all of one's forebears.
Die Ausstellung zeigt, wie unsere Vorfahren gelebt haben.
The exhibition shows how our ancestors lived.
ancestor
Both words refer to a person from one's own line of descent. Vorfahre is the neutral term and is usually more appropriate in everyday language. Ahne often sounds elevated, historical, or reverential and is especially suitable when the earlier generation is presented in a solemn way.
In unserem Stammbaum ist ein Vorfahre aus dem 18. Jahrhundert verzeichnet.
Our family tree records an ancestor from the eighteenth century.
Im Museum wird ein Ahne der Familie als bedeutende historische Persönlichkeit gewürdigt.
The museum honors an ancestor of the family as an important historical figure.
