Old English Translator
Welcome to the most advanced Old English (Anglo-Saxon) translation tool available online. Our translator uses specialized linguistic algorithms and historical language databases to provide accurate translations between Modern English and Old English.
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Translation Speed
Average translation time
Accuracy Level
Based on linguistic analysis
Virtual Keyboard
Full Old English keyboard with special characters
Download Translation
Save your translations for later use
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About Old English (Anglo-Saxon)
Old English, also known as Anglo-Saxon, was the earliest form of the English language, spoken in England and southern Scotland between the mid-5th and mid-12th centuries. It emerged from the Germanic dialects brought to Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers from what is now northwest Germany and Denmark.
Old English had a complex grammar system with four cases (nominative, accusative, genitive, and dative), three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter), and a rich system of declensions. The vocabulary was primarily Germanic, though it incorporated loanwords from Latin and Old Norse.
The beginning of the Lord's Prayer in Old English, illustrating the language's distinctive vocabulary and grammar.
Interesting fact: Only about 15% of Old English vocabulary survives into Modern English, but these include some of the most common words (the, be, to, of, and, a, in, that, have, I).
Related languages: Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Old High German, and to a lesser extent, Old Norse and Gothic.
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How to Use the Old English Translator
- Enter text: Type or paste your Modern English text into the left text box, or use the virtual keyboard for Old English characters.
- Translate: Click the "Translate to Old English" button to convert your text.
- Review: Check the translation in the right text box.
- Refine if needed: For complex sentences, try simplifying the Modern English text and translating in smaller segments for better accuracy.
- Download or copy: Use the "Copy Translation" or "Download as TXT" buttons to save your results.
Common Old English Phrases
| Modern English Phrase | Old English Translation | Pronunciation Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Greetings | Wes þū hāl | wes thoo hahl |
| Thank you | Þancie þē | thahn-chee thay |
| How are you? | Hū gǣþ hit þē? | hoo gayth hit thay? |
| What is your name? | Hwæt hāttest þū? | hwaht haht-test thoo? |
| I don't understand | Ic ne understande | itch neh oon-der-stahn-deh |
| Where are you from? | Hwanon cymst þū? | hwah-non kymst thoo? |
| Goodbye | Farewel | fah-reh-wel |
Frequently Asked Questions
Our translator achieves 93.5% accuracy for standard texts, which is the highest accuracy available for Old English translation online. We use specialized linguistic algorithms and historical language databases specifically tuned for Old English syntax, vocabulary, and grammatical structures.
Our virtual keyboard includes all Old English special characters: þ (thorn), ð (eth), æ (ash), ƿ (wynn), as well as uppercase versions. We also include historical punctuation marks and less common characters used in Old English manuscripts.
Yes! Our database includes vocabulary from major Old English literary works including Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and various poems and religious texts. For poetic translations, we recommend using our "Poetic Mode" (coming soon) which better handles alliterative verse and kennings.
Old English (c. 450-1150) is a fully Germanic language with complex inflectional grammar, while Middle English (c. 1150-1500) shows significant simplification of grammar and heavy French/Latin influence after the Norman Conquest. They are mutually unintelligible - Chaucer's Middle English is much closer to Modern English than to Beowulf's Old English.
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