Noblesse oblige, how would I say it in German? I'm guessing Adelpflicht or Adel verpflichtet but I've only seen this in one dictionary. Nothing online seems to help.
1 Answer
The German version of this phrase is:
Adel verpflichtet
But you quite often also can hear the untranslated french phrase in German conversations too.
answered Jun 10, 2019 at 7:34
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I would go even further and say that the "German" version is to leave it French, and you might also hear this real German version sometimes.– NobodyJun 10, 2019 at 14:45
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To my American ears, if it's Adel verpflictet it should be zum Adel verpflichtet, i.e., "to nobility obligated", but of course German surprises me everyday. . . .– 147pmJun 10, 2019 at 16:35
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2@147pm No "zum Adel verpflichtet" means something entirely different. "Adel verpflichtet" means nobility comes with obligations, "zum Adel verpflichtet" would mean you are obligated to (always) be nobility, but also somewhat sounds like you were recruited to become nobility.– ckuriJun 10, 2019 at 18:03
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So yes, Adel verpflichtet means "nobility obliges," not "noble obligation".– 147pmJun 10, 2019 at 19:36