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How to Say ‘He's only nineteen.’ in German

Er ist erst neunzehn.

air ist airst NOYN-tsayn

[air ist airst NOYN-tsayn]

💬 Usage Tip: erst here means "only", stressing that something is less than expected. It's handy with time too: erst um acht "not until eight".

Phrase Breakdown

Er ist erst

air ist airst

He is only

Here 'erst' means 'only' or 'just', stressing that he is young. Link the words smoothly.

Example

Sie ist erst zehn.

She is only ten.

Words in this phrase

[air]

Third-person singular masculine pronoun; also used for masculine nouns.

Example

Er spielt gern Fußball.

He likes playing football.

ist

[ist]

A form of the verb 'sein' used for singular subjects.

Example

Für viele Bewerber Ist ein gutes Teamklima entscheidend.

For many applicants, a good team climate is crucial.

erst

[airst]

only (so far)

With time amounts, it means 'only' or 'just', stressing that it is less than expected.

Example

Es ist erst acht Uhr.

It's only eight o'clock.

neunzehn.

NOYN-tsayn

nineteen.

'eu' sounds like 'oy': NOYN-tsayn.

Example

Ich bin neunzehn.

I am nineteen.

Words in this phrase

neunzehn

[NOYN-tsayn]

nineteen

The number nineteen; in time expressions it means 19:00.

Example

Um neunzehn Uhr haben wir einen Tisch bestellt.

At nineteen o'clock, we have booked a table.

Guides for German learners

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