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Anglo-Saxon English · c. 450–1100
Old English
Translator
Turn modern words into an Old English–inspired learning draft, shaped with Anglo-Saxon vocabulary and letters such as þ, ð, æ.
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Old English learning aid
Anglo-Saxon
Þīn Englisc awriten cymþ hēr…
Learning aid
Exact phrasebook matches return fixed learning examples. Other inputs return separate word notes, not an assembled historical sentence. Already have Anglo-Saxon text? Use the Old English to Modern English Translator.
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Learning-firstClear limits, useful examples
A language, not a costume
Old English is not “thee” and “thou.”
Old English—often called Anglo-Saxon—looks more like a close Germanic cousin than modern English in costume. Its vocabulary, endings, word order, and sounds differ sharply from the language we use today.
That is why this page favors recognizable Old English words and honest limits instead of presenting Shakespearean phrasing as Anglo-Saxon grammar.
Three careful steps
How this Old English Translator works
The tool checks its fixed phrasebook first. Other inputs produce a word-by-word glossary with unlisted words identified. Even a full vocabulary match does not establish correct grammar or a historical sentence.
Read the letterforms
Notice thorn (þ), eth (ð), and ash (æ). In vocabulary notes, each arrow links a modern word to a possible dictionary form.
Verify important text
For coursework, inscriptions, tattoos, or publication, consult a dictionary or specialist.
Know the centuries
Three Englishes, three different worlds
The labels mark broad historical stages, not interchangeable “old-timey” styles.
Old English
Anglo-Saxon English: highly inflected, Germanic, and largely unfamiliar to modern readers.
Middle English
The varied English of Chaucer’s period, transformed by Norse and French influence.
Early Modern English
The language of Shakespeare—closer to our English, with thee, thou, and familiar syntax.
A small phrasebook
Old English translation examples
These supported short phrases are learning examples. Check important wording against a scholarly dictionary or edition.
| Modern English | Old English |
|---|---|
| Hello. | Wes hāl. |
| How are you? | Hū eart þū? |
| Thank you. | Ic þancie þē. |
| I love you. | Ic lufie þē. |
| My name is… | Mīn nama is… |
These are composed learning examples, except where a historical source is explicitly named. A phrasebook match returns a stored example; it does not verify a new sentence with different names, objects, or endings.
Read a real line: in the Beowulf passage quoted above, wyrd means fate and hio refers back to it. The words work together in a particular grammatical context. Moving dictionary forms into modern word order does not reproduce that context.
Try the difference: enter I love you for a fixed phrasebook example, then I have two children for vocabulary notes. A word marked “not in this glossary” is outside this tool’s coverage; it does not mean that Old English had no way to express it. Use the Bosworth–Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary to investigate a word’s meanings, forms, and cited uses, and return to the edited Beowulf text for the actual passage.
The scribe’s letterbox
Meet four Old English letters
Modern editions often retain these characters to represent sounds that ordinary Latin letters did not capture neatly.
Thorn
A “th” sound, as in thing or this.
Eth
Another letter for “th,” used alongside thorn.
Ash
A front vowel, often compared with the “a” in cat.
Wynn
An early letter for the sound represented by modern “w.”
Where it helps
For curious readers and careful creators
Students & readers
Explore unfamiliar vocabulary before checking a course text, glossary, or scholarly dictionary.
Writers & worldbuilders
Draft names, mottos, hall inscriptions, and compact lines for Anglo-Saxon-inspired settings.
Games & role-play
Add linguistic texture to quests, characters, artifacts, and historical or fantasy campaigns.
History enthusiasts
Compare modern core words with their older relatives and follow the evolution of English.
Questions from the scriptorium
Old English Translator FAQ
What is Old English?
Old English, also called Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded stage of English. It was used in several dialects in early medieval England and looks very different from present-day English.
Is Old English the same as Shakespearean English?
No. Shakespeare wrote Early Modern English, many centuries later. Words such as “thee” and “thou” are familiar from that later stage and do not, by themselves, make a sentence Old English.
Is this translator historically accurate?
It is a compact phrasebook and vocabulary aid, not a full grammar engine. Unmatched sentences produce separate word notes. Old English has grammatical gender, cases, inflection, dialect variation, and context-sensitive forms. Verify important wording with a scholarly dictionary or qualified reader.
Can I translate an entire paragraph?
You can enter up to 600 characters to explore vocabulary. Only exact phrasebook matches return complete examples. Other text is shown as individual word notes because even short sentences can require grammar this tool cannot reliably infer.
Does the website store my text?
No. The current translation runs in your browser, requires no account, and does not send your writing to a translation server.
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