German · People & Family
"Elderly person" in German: Senior / Seniorin
der Senior / die Seniorin
Note: also: ältere Menschen
An elderly person in German is der Senior or die Seniorin. Say Die Senioren warten am Eingang. Softer phrases include ältere Menschen; avoid blunt alt about someone nearby.
Bus
Der Senior sucht einen Sitzplatz.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Senior / Seniorin
Say it
zeh-nee-OR
/zeˈni̯oːɐ̯/
zeh-nee-OR / zeh-nee-OR-in. Soft s. Stress -or.
"Elderly person" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Senior / die Seniorin | elderly man / woman Polite nouns. | Polite nouns. |
| die Senioren | elderly people / seniors Plural. | Plural. |
| Seniorenrabatt | senior discount Tickets and shops. | Tickets and shops. |
| ältere Menschen | older people Softer descriptive phrase. | Softer descriptive phrase. |
How to use Senior / Seniorin in real life
- 1Bus
Der Senior sucht einen Sitzplatz.
The elderly man is looking for a seat.
Der Senior.
- 2Museum desk
Die Seniorin fragt nach dem Rabatt.
The elderly woman asks about the discount.
Die Seniorin.
- 3Club event
Viele Senioren kommen zum Nachmittagskaffee.
Many seniors come for afternoon coffee.
Senioren plural.
Mistakes English speakers make with Senior / Seniorin
Incorrect: das Senior
Correct: der Senior / die Seniorin
Use gendered nouns der Senior / die Seniorin.
Incorrect: Calling someone alt to their face
Correct: Prefer Senior/Seniorin or älter
Alt can sound blunt; Senioren language is softer in services.
Good to know
Cafés and transit advertise Seniorenpreise. Offering a seat with Darf ich Ihnen meinen Platz anbieten? is more polite than commenting on age.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Helping at a community hall
ChatPal
Kann der Senior den Aufzug finden?
Can the elderly man find the elevator?
You
Ich zeige es ihm. Die Seniorin kommt mit.
I'll show him. The elderly woman is coming too.
ChatPal
Danke. Die Senioren kennen den Weg oft nicht.
Thanks. The seniors often don't know the way.
You
Stimmt. Ein Schild für Senioren wäre hilfreich.
True. A sign for seniors would help.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Elderly person" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Elderly person" in German
How do you say elderly person?
Der Senior / die Seniorin.
Plural?
Die Senioren.
Softer phrase?
Ältere Menschen.
Senior discount?
Der Seniorenrabatt.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
