A collection of useful phrases in Old English, the version of English that was spoken in England from about the 5th to the 11th century.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| English | Ænglisc (Old English) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Welcumen |
| Hello (General greeting) | Wes hāl (sg) Wesaþ hāle (pl) Wesaþ hāla (pl/f) |
| How are you? | Hú meaht þú? Hu eart þú? |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Ic mæg wel Ic mæg tela Wel, þancung, and þú? |
| Long time no see | Lang fierst ne beseah Lang tīd ne beseah |
| What's your name? | Hwæt hātest þū? |
| My name is ... | Ic hāte ... |
| Where are you from? | Hwanan cymst þū? Hwiðer eart þū fram? |
| I'm from ... | Ic cume of ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Mé lícaþ þé tó métanne (sg) Mé lícaþ éow tó métanne (pl) |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Gōdne mergen |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Gōdne ǣfen |
| Good night | Gōde nihte |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Far gesund (sg) Faraþ gesunde (pl) Faraþ gesunda (pl/f) Wes Hāl (sg) Wesaþ hāle (pl) Wesaþ hāla (pl/f) Wes þū hāl God þē mid sīe ("God be with you") |
| Good luck! | Gōd wyrd Gōde wyrde |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
Gōd hælo! |
| Have a nice day | Hafa gōdne dæg! (sg) Habbaþ gōdne dæg (pl) |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
Gōd metesōcn |
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Gōd fōr |
| I understand | Ic æt undergiete |
| I don't understand | Ic þæt ne undergiete |
| Yes | Gea; Giese |
| No | Nese Ne Na |
| Maybe | Gewene |
| I know | Ic wāt |
| I don't know | Ic nāt |
| Please speak more slowly | Ic bidde þe mara slawlice to sprecanne |
| Please say that again | Ic bidde þē þæt to eftgianne |
| Please write it down | Ic bidde þē hit to āwrītanne |
| Do you speak Old English? | Sprece þū Englisc? Sprecest þū Englisc? |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Gea, fea Gea, lytel |
| Speak to me in Old English | Sprec tō mē on Englice |
| How do you say ... in Old English? | Hū sægest þū ... in Ænglisc? |
| Excuse me | Forgiefe mec |
| How much is this? | Hū miccle þās is? Hwæt ys se cēap þisses? |
| Sorry | Sārig |
| Please | Bidde Ic bidde þe Ic bidde eow |
| Thank you | Ic þancie þē |
| Reply to thank you | Welcumen |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Hwǣr is þæt gangern? Hwǣr is se gangstōl? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | Se wer sceal ealum gieldan Se hlāford sceal ealum gieldan |
| This lady will pay for everything | Sēo hlǣfdīge sceal ealum gieldan |
| Would you like to dance with me? | Wilt þū mid mē sealtian? |
| I miss you | Ic langie þē (sg) Ic langie ēow (pl) |
| I love you | Ic lufie þē |
| Get well soon | Bēo gesund hraðe |
| Go away! | Aweggā! Gā onweg! |
| Leave me alone! | Forlǣte mec! |
| Help! | Helpe! |
| Fire! | Fȳr! |
| Stop! | Ōþstand! Ōþstandaþ! |
| Call the police! | Cīg þǣm weardum! |
| Christmas greetings | Blīþe Crīstes mæsse Blīþe Gēol |
| New Year greetings | Glæd Nīwe Gēar Gesǣlig Nīwe Gēar |
| Easter greetings | Gesǣlig Eastordæg |
| Birthday greetings | Gesǣlig Gebyrddæg |
| One language is never enough | Ān geþēode is nǣfre genōg Ān Spræc is nǣfre genōg |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | Mīn wandrian-scyf ful ǣlen is Mīn lyfthærnflota is ful ǣla |
Phrase supplied by Matthew Leigh Embleton, with corrections and additions by T. Patrick Snyder
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Old English | Phrases | Tower of Babel | Books and learning materials
Other collections of Old English phrases
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Old_English/Phrases
http://speaksaxon.blogspot.co.uk
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Old_English_phrasebook#Old English
https://babblelingua.com/useful-phrases-in-old-english/
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