“Alter Schwede“ does not actually refer to an older Swedish man, but is a colloquial expression, a so-called “Schnack” from Low German. “Alter Schwede” is, however, common as a term throughout Germany. READ ALSO: ‘Alter Schwede! Within the army they were colloquially called “Alter Schwede”, and the expression trickled into everyday speech. Example sentences:“Alter Schwede, hier ist es aber schmutzig!”“Wow, it’s very dirty here!”“Alter Schwede, das ist aber eine schöne Überraschung.”“Oh my, that’s a pleasant surprise.““Alter Schwede, heute möchtest du mich aber ärgern.”“Dude, you really do want to annoy me today.”

Source: The Local March 05, 2021 11:26 UTC