Old English Translator
Turn modern English into Olde English style as you type. See every word that changed. Free, no sign-up.
Modern English
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Olde English style
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Style rewrite for fun – not a real Old English (Anglo-Saxon) translation. What's the difference?
What changed
| Your word | Changed to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hail | Older greeting |
| are | art | Verb form used with thou |
| you | thou | "You" as the subject |
| before | ere | Older time word |
| you | thee | "You" as the object |
| your | thy | "Your" before a word |
| stories | tales | Older word |
No words changed. Try everyday words like you, your, hello, before.
Free Old English Font Preview
Planning something permanent? Keep your words in English and change only the lettering. There's nothing to mistranslate.
Hello my friend, are you coming to the market before dinner? I have missed you and your stories.
Hello my friend, are you coming to the market before dinner? I have missed you and your stories.
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What Is an Old English Translator?
An Old English translator, as most people mean it, rewrites modern English so it sounds old: you becomes thou, your becomes thy, before becomes ere and verbs pick up endings like -est and -eth. This one does it in your browser with a word list and a handful of grammar rules, and lists every swap in a table under the result.
It does not translate into Old English itself, the language of Beowulf, which has its own grammar and letters. The section below shows the difference with one line of the Lord's Prayer in both forms. Some people call this tool an ancient English translator; it is the same idea, an old-fashioned style for modern words.
Olde English vs Old English: What's the Difference?
This tool gives you Olde English style: the thou, thee and -eth you know from Shakespeare and the King James Bible. Linguists call that Early Modern English.
Old English, also called Anglo-Saxon, is a much older language. Beowulf is written in it. It used letters like þ (thorn) and ð (eth), and most English speakers can't read it without study.
Old English: Fæder ūre þū þe eart on heofonum (Old English, Wikipedia)
Early Modern English: Our Father which art in heaven (Matthew 6:9, King James Version, Project Gutenberg)
This tool rewrites your words in the second style. It does not translate into the first.
Old English vs Middle English vs Early Modern English
Three stages of English often get mixed up. The dates below follow the periods given in Wikipedia's Old English article; scholars draw the lines a little differently.
| Stage | Roughly | Example words | On this site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old English (Anglo-Saxon) | about 450 to 1150 | Fæder, þū, heofonum | Not on this site: it takes a specialist |
| Middle English | 1150 to 1500 | knyght, nyght, freend | Middle English Translator |
| Early Modern English | 1500 to 1650 | thou, thee, hath, doth | This page and the Shakespeare Translator |
How to Use the Old English Translator
Type or paste your text
Up to 5,000 characters. The result updates as you type.
Check every change
The table lists each swapped word and the rule behind it, so you can check it.
Copy and use it
One tap copies the result. For anything permanent, try the font preview first.
Old English Words and Rules
These are the main swaps the tool makes. The right-hand column comes straight from the tool, so what you see here is what you get above.
| Modern | Old English style | Why it changes |
|---|---|---|
| you are | thou art | Thou was the familiar “you” for one person, and its verb changed with it. |
| thank you | thank thee | After a verb or preposition, you becomes thee, the object form. |
| your friend | thy friend | Thy before a consonant sound. |
| your eyes | thine eyes | Thine before a vowel sound, like mine eyes. |
| it is yours | 'tis thine | Thine also stands alone, like yours. |
| you have | thou hast | Have becomes hast after thou. |
| do you know | dost thou know | In a question the helper verb takes the thou form: dost. |
| you know | thou knowest | Other verbs add -est after thou. |
| she runs | she runneth | He, she and it take -eth instead of -s. |
| he has | he hath | Hath and doth are the -eth forms of has and does. |
| it is late | 'tis late | 'Tis and 'twas are the old contractions. |
| I think so | Methinks so | Methinks: “it seems to me”. |
| I will go | I shall go | Shall after I and we. |
| before noon | ere noon | Ere means before. |
| hello | hail | Hail as a greeting. |
| goodbye | farewell | Farewell. |
| why | wherefore | Wherefore means why, not where. |
| maybe | perchance | Perchance. |
| often | oft | Oft. |
| nothing | naught | Naught. |
| tomorrow | on the morrow | Morrow is the old word for the next day. |
| I don't know | I do not know | No modern contractions; don't becomes do not. |
Old English Translator Examples
Each example below was produced by this tool. Tap Try this to load it into the box above.
- Where are you going tonight, my friend?Whither art thou going this night, my friend?Changed: Where → Whither, are → art, you → thou, tonight → this night
- I think you are right about this.Methinks thou art right about this.Changed: I think → Methinks, you → thou, are → art
- Do you know what time it is?Dost thou know what time it is?Changed: Do → Dost, you → thou
- Thank you for the gift. It is lovely.Thank thee for the boon. 'Tis lovely.Changed: you → thee, gift → boon, It is → 'Tis
- You have my word. I will be there before noon.Thou hast my word. I shall be there ere noon.Changed: You → Thou, have → hast, will → shall, before → ere
- My heart is yours, now and always.My heart is thine, now and ever.Changed: yours → thine, always → ever
Who the Old English Translator Is For
- Writers and game masters giving a character, a letter or a quest an old-fashioned voice.
- Students seeing how thou, thee and -eth work before reading Shakespeare or the King James Bible.
- Anyone planning a tattoo or engraving who wants to see the options before asking a specialist. The font preview keeps your words in English, so nothing can be mistranslated.
More Style Translators
Historical English
Older English, from Chaucer's spelling to Shakespeare's thou and thee to a Victorian letter.
- Old English TranslatorHail, good friend, art thou coming home ere eventide?
- Shakespeare TranslatorGood morrow, good friend, thou art ever welcome here.
- Middle English TranslatorMy freend, the knyght rood hoom thurgh the nyght.
- Victorian TranslatorGood day, I am much obliged to you for the lovely soirée.
Runes
English letters written in rune alphabets, one letter at a time.
- Rune Translatorᚺᛖᛚᛚᛟ ᛗᛃ ᚠᚱᛁᛖᚾᛞ
Slang, Dialects and Tone
Everyday slang, regional speech and the formal or silly way of saying the same thing.
- Gen Z TranslatorNgl, my new fit is lowkey fire.
- Southern Accent TranslatorHey y'all, mama is makin' supper.
- Cowboy TranslatorHowdy partner, I reckon the trail is long.
- Slang TranslatorMy ride is busted, so I have no dough.
- Formal English TranslatorHello, are you available tomorrow? Thank you very much.
- Caveman TranslatorMe big hungry and me want food.
Old English Translator FAQ
Is this the same as Old English (Anglo-Saxon)?
No. It swaps modern words for older-sounding ones, like you → thou and runs → runneth, using a word list and simple rules. Anglo-Saxon has its own grammar, spelling and letters, and translating into it takes someone who has studied it. The word table shows every change, so you can judge the result yourself.
Can I use the result for a tattoo?
Not as it comes out. Word swaps can get grammar wrong, and a tattoo is hard to fix. Ask a specialist to check it first. If you only want the old look, keep your words in English and use the font preview above. There's nothing to mistranslate that way.
Is the Old English translator free?
Yes. Translating is free, with no sign-up and no daily limit. You can paste up to 5,000 characters at a time and copy the result as often as you like.
Do you save or see my text?
No. Your text stays in your browser. We never send or store it. The rewrite runs on your device, using a word list that loads with the page.
Can it turn Old English back into modern English?
Not yet. Right now it only goes from modern English to Olde English style. If you have a passage of Anglo-Saxon text, a dictionary or a specialist will serve you better than a word list.
Why didn't some of my words change?
The tool only changes words it has a rule for: mostly pronouns, forms of be and have, greetings and common verbs. Names, places and newer words stay as they are. Try everyday words like you, are, my or hello.
Key Points
- The Old English translator turns modern English into Olde English style (thou, thee, -est, -eth) and lists every change.
- It is a style rewrite in the manner of Early Modern English, not a translation into Old English (Anglo-Saxon).
- It is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser; your text is not sent anywhere.
- For tattoos and engravings, have any wording checked by a specialist, or keep it in English and change only the font.