Proto-Germanic Translator

Translate from Normal Language to Proto-Germanic

Last updated: January 2025

Normal Language

Try these:

Proto-Germanic

Translation History

▼

About the Proto-Germanic Translator

Proto-Germanic is the reconstructed ancestor of all Germanic languages — English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Gothic, and others. Spoken roughly 500 BCE to 200 CE in what is now southern Scandinavia and northern Germany, it is not directly attested in any writing. Instead, linguists reconstruct it by comparing later Germanic languages and applying systematic sound laws like Grimm's Law and Verner's Law.

This translator renders modern English in scholarly reconstructed Proto-Germanic, marked with the asterisk convention (e.g., *wulfaz, 'wolf') that linguists use to flag reconstructed forms. Output is suitable for historical linguistics study, fantasy worldbuilding inspired by Germanic prehistory, Viking-adjacent fiction (though Old Norse is closer for Viking-era work), and any project where you want to capture the 'deep ancestry' feel of Germanic language.

When to use it

→
Historical linguistics study. See how modern English words map back to their reconstructed Germanic roots.
→
Fantasy worldbuilding. Create authentic-feeling names and phrases for Germanic-inspired settings.
→
Heritage and ancestry projects. Explore how your ancestors might have phrased things 2,000+ years ago.
→
Etymology research. Trace the deep origins of modern words and place names.

Sample translations

Input

The wolf is in the forest.

Output

*sa wulfaz in þaz furhtō ist

Input

I am a man.

Output

*ek mannaz immi

Input

Father and mother.

Output

*fadēr jaχ mōdēr

Tips for best results

Reconstructed forms are marked with an asterisk (*) by linguistic convention.
For Viking-era language, use the Old Norse translator instead — Proto-Germanic predates the Vikings by 1,000+ years.
Different scholars reconstruct some forms slightly differently — our output follows mainstream scholarship.

Frequently asked questions

Is Proto-Germanic a real attested language?

No — it is reconstructed. We have no written records of Proto-Germanic itself. Everything in Proto-Germanic is inferred by comparing later Germanic languages and applying known sound-change rules.

How accurate are the reconstructions?

Core vocabulary and grammar are very well-established. Some vocabulary and finer phonological details remain debated. Output follows mainstream scholarly consensus.

What's the difference between Proto-Germanic and Old Norse?

Proto-Germanic is the ancestor of all Germanic languages, spoken before about 200 CE. Old Norse is one of its descendants, spoken roughly 700-1300 CE — the language of the Vikings. Old Norse is much closer to Icelandic and Faroese; Proto-Germanic is deeper and farther back.