erwachsen

§ What 'erwachsen' means and when to use it

Alright, let's talk about the German word 'erwachsen'. This isn't a tricky one, but it's important to get it right. Simply put, 'erwachsen' means 'adult' or 'grown-up'. Think of it as the opposite of 'child' or 'young'.

Definition

Adult, grown-up. It describes a person who has reached full physical and mental maturity, or something suitable for adults.

You'll use 'erwachsen' to describe people, mostly. When someone isn't a child anymore, they are 'erwachsen'. It's pretty straightforward. It can also describe things that are meant for adults, like 'erwachsenes Publikum' (adult audience).

Let's look at some examples to make this crystal clear. Seeing it in action always helps.

Translation hint

My children are now grown-up.

Translation hint

He is a very adult man.

Notice how in the second example, 'erwachsen' changes to 'erwachsener'. This is because German adjectives often change their endings depending on the noun they describe and its grammatical case. Don't worry too much about the details of adjective endings for now, just be aware that it happens. The core meaning stays the same.

You might also hear 'erwachsen werden', which means 'to grow up'. This is a common phrase and very useful.

Translation hint

When will you finally grow up?

So, to sum it up, 'erwachsen' is your go-to word for describing someone or something as adult or grown-up. It's a fundamental word at the A2 level, and you'll encounter it constantly. Make sure you can use it confidently. Here are some situations where you'd use 'erwachsen':

• To describe a person who is no longer a child.
• To talk about things suitable for adults (e.g., an adult film).
• In phrases like 'erwachsen werden' (to grow up).

Practice using it in sentences. The more you use it, the more natural it will feel.

§ What 'erwachsen' means

The German adjective erwachsen directly translates to 'adult' or 'grown-up' in English. You'll use it to describe people, animals, or even concepts that have reached maturity.

Definition

adult, grown-up

§ How to use 'erwachsen' in a sentence

As an adjective, 'erwachsen' modifies a noun. Like many German adjectives, it will change its ending depending on the case, gender, and number of the noun it describes. This is called adjective declension.

Let's look at some examples to see how it works in practice. Don't worry too much about memorizing all the declension rules right now; focus on understanding the context.

She is an adult woman.

Here, 'erwachsene' has an '-e' ending because 'Frau' (woman) is a feminine noun in the nominative case. The indefinite article 'eine' also plays a role.

My son is now grown-up.

In this sentence, 'erwachsen' is used predicatively (after a form of 'sein' – to be), so it doesn't decline. This is a common and often simpler way to use adjectives.

We speak with adult people.

Here, 'erwachsenen' has an '-en' ending because 'Menschen' (people) is plural and in the dative case (due to 'mit' – with). The adjective takes a strong 'en' ending in plural dative.

§ Adjective declension: A quick overview

Don't let adjective declension scare you. It just means the adjective changes its ending to match the noun. Here are the main factors:

• Case: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive.
• Gender: Masculine, Feminine, Neuter.
• Number: Singular, Plural.
• Article type: Used with definite articles (der, die, das), indefinite articles (ein, eine), or no article.

When 'erwachsen' is used predicatively (after verbs like 'sein', 'werden', 'bleiben'), it does not change its form:

The children have quickly become grown-up.

He must now act grown-up / responsibly.

Notice how in the second example, 'erwachsen' also implies acting responsibly, which is a common nuance.

§ Common phrases with 'erwachsen'

You'll often hear 'erwachsen' in certain contexts:

• Ein erwachsener Mensch: an adult person
• Eine erwachsene Entscheidung: a mature decision
• Erwachsen werden: to grow up, to become an adult

That is a truly mature decision.

When did you grow up / become an adult?

§ 'Erwachsen' vs. 'alt'

Don't confuse 'erwachsen' with 'alt' (old). While an adult is usually old enough, 'erwachsen' specifically refers to the state of being grown-up or mature, whereas 'alt' simply means old in terms of age.

An adult man can also be very old.

This sentence clearly shows the distinction. He's an adult, and he might also be old.