In German
jung
Meaning: young
Formal or informal? “Jung” is young, for people and animals. The opposite is “alt” (old). For young things like a plant, “jung” also works.
Example sentences
Er ist noch sehr jung.
He is still very young.
Die junge Frau lacht.
The young woman is laughing.
Mein Bruder ist jünger als ich.
My brother is younger than me.
Grammar note
Before a noun it takes agreeing endings: “ein junger Mann” (masculine), “eine junge Frau” (feminine), “ein junges Kind” (neuter). Comparative: “jünger” (younger), with an umlaut, and superlative “am jüngsten”.
Common mistake
Don't confuse “jung” (young) with “der Junge” (the boy). In “ein junger Mann”, the adjective ending is -er, not the noun.
Quick check
Which German word means “young”?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What is the comparative of “jung”?
“Jünger” (younger), with an umlaut on the “u”.
What is the German word for boy?
“Der Junge”, which is a noun, not an adjective.