Compare and Contrast of GERMANIC Languages

Kazoo   Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:46 am GMT
Anyone with better knowledge please feel free to add to this topic with more examples and obviously, other germanic languages.

English: My name is
Dutch: Mijn naam is
German: Mein Name ist

English: I am from
Dutch: Ik ben van
German: Ich bin von

English: How old are you?
Dutch: Hoe oud bent u?
German: Sind Sie wie alt?

English: What is your name?
Dutch: Wat is uw naam?
German: Was ist Ihr Name?

English: Where are you going?
Dutch: Waar gaat u?
German: Wohin gehen Sie?

English: Do you speak
Dutch: Spreekt u
German: Sprechen Sie
Carthage   Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:02 am GMT
Danish: Mit navn er... (Jeg hedder...)

Danish: Jeg er fra...

Danish: Hvor gammel er du?

Danish: Hvad er dit navn? (Hvad hedder du?)

Danish: Hvor skal du hen?

Danish: Kan du... (Taler du...)
greg   Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:05 am GMT
Ich glaube daß, « Wie alt sind Sie » ublicher ist, nicht wahr ?
greg   Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:25 am GMT
ERRATUM : üblicher.
Candy   Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:54 am GMT
<<Ich glaube daß, « Wie alt sind Sie » ublicher ist, nicht wahr ?>>

Yes, the correct question is 'Wie alt sind Sie?' (Answer: 'ich bin ? Jahre alt.') It's also more common and poite to say 'Wie heißen Sie?' - it sounds rude and abrupt to say 'Was ist Ihr Name?' I doubt any German speaker would say that, though it's possible to say 'Wie ist Ihr Name?'. Also, I think it's better to say 'Ich komme aus (Deutschland)' than 'ich bin von'.
Sander   Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:44 pm GMT
In Dutch the part of 'I'm from...' is not >Dutch: Ik ben van< Which would mean: "I am of" the better translation would be; Dutch: Ik kom uit
Kazoo   Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:58 am GMT
I stand corrected, thank you.
Guest   Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:24 pm GMT
> Danish: Mit navn er... (Jeg hedder...)
> Danish: Jeg er fra...
> Danish: Hvor gammel er du?
> Danish: Hvad er dit navn? (Hvad hedder du?)
> Danish: Hvor skal du hen?
> Danish: Kan du... (Taler du...)

Svenska: Min känt är
Svenska: Jag är från
Svenska: Hur gammal är du?
Svenska: Är vad ditt känt?
Svenska: Var går du?
Svenska: Talar du
The Swede   Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:18 pm GMT
It shall be:

Mitt namn är... (Jag heter)
Jag är från
Hur gamml är du?
Vad heter du?
Var ska du hän? or: Var ska du?
Kan du ... (can you...) Talar du... (do you speak...)
The Swede   Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:25 pm GMT
Sorry, Hur gammal är du?
Fredrik from Norway   Sun Jan 22, 2006 1:27 am GMT
Norwegian:

Bokmål:
My name is: Mitt navn er (old-fashioned)
..................Jeg heter [= I am called, more up to date]
I am from: Jeg er fra
How old are you?: Hvor gammel er du?
What is your name?: Hva heter du?
Where are you going?: Hvor skal du (hen)?
Do you speak..?: Snakker du...?

Nynorsk:
My name is: Namnet mitt er (old-fashioned)
..................Eg heiter [= I am called, more up to date]
I am from: Eg er frå
How old are you?: Kor gamal er du?
What is your name?: Kva heiter du?
Where are you going?: Kvar skal du (hen)?
Do you speak..?: Snakkar du...?
Ljosalfar   Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:12 am GMT
What is the difference between Nynorsk and Bokmål? I mean, which one is what you'd use in everyday speech?
Guest   Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:20 am GMT
Isn't Bokmål from Star Trek? I've heard that Klingon...Lieutenant Worf say it a few times.
Carthage   Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:20 am GMT
Nynorsk is used by less than a quarter of the Norwegian population; almost everyone in Norway can use Bokmål, which is the version on which you should concentrate.
Ljosalfar   Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:23 am GMT
Thanks carthage.