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Guten Tag Everybody (lemmy.ml)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The literal meaning is a really informal "old one" but can also mean "age" in another context. It is used exactly like you described.

[–] tdawg 9 points 10 months ago (2 children)

So Germans colloquially call each other "old man"? That's kinda hilarious

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

It is one way to do so, german youth also use several english terms or "Digga" which is a modified form of the word "Dicker" meaning fat. Although I am no linguist I would assume that Alter and Dicker were used in combination with Freund (friend) first since those are valid phrases that still are in use.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

As much as English speakers call each other "male sibling" or "canine".

Technically correct, but no one makes that association in everyday language.