Top 20 German Christmas Words You Should Know
Even if you do not celebrate Christmas, these 20 words are useful to know. Weihnachten is Christmas, and this lesson covers decorations, traditions, food and drinks you find at a German Christmas market.
Decorations and Traditions
| German | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| der Weihnachtsbaum | Christmas tree | Unter einem Weihnachtsbaum liegen oft viele Geschenke. |
| die Glocke | bell | Used as a decoration on the tree, doors or windows |
| der Engel | angel | Also a common decoration |
| der Adventskranz | Advent wreath | Has four candles (vier Kerzen) |
| die Kerze | candle | eine Kerze, zwei Kerzen |
| der Nikolaus | Santa Claus | Comes with a sledge (der Schlitten) full of presents |
| das Rentier | reindeer | Pulls the sledge |
| der Elch | elk, moose | The big brother of the reindeer |
| der Weihnachtsmarkt | Christmas market | Wir gehen auf den Weihnachtsmarkt. Use the preposition auf. |
Advent
The first Advent is the first Sunday in December. You light the first candle, and on the second, third and fourth Sunday (zweiter, dritter, vierter Advent) you light one more, until all four candles burn.
Food and Drinks
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Glühwein | mulled wine, hot red wine with spices |
| die Feuerzangenbowle | an even stronger relative of Glühwein, so be careful |
| die Bratwurst Semmel | sausage in a bread roll |
| die Maronen | roasted chestnuts |
| der Bratapfel | baked apple, a warm dish |
| der Kartoffelpuffer | a kind of hash browns |
| die gebrannten Mandeln | roasted almonds with sugar |
| die Weihnachtsplätzchen | Christmas cookies, typically chocolate, lemon and cinnamon |
| der Lebkuchen | gingerbread, a Christmas specialty |
Did You Know?
One of the most famous Christmas markets in Germany is in Nürnberg, where it is called Christkindlesmarkt. Das Christkind is the Christ child.
Frohe Weihnachten und ein frohes neues Jahr!
What to Learn Next
Practise more everyday vocabulary with German Weather Vocabulary, How to Order Food in a German Restaurant and German Dates and Ordinal Numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Merry Christmas in German?
Frohe Weihnachten! Add und ein frohes neues Jahr for a happy new year.
What is Weihnachten?
Weihnachten is the German word for Christmas.
What is an Adventskranz?
An Advent wreath with four candles. You light one more candle on each of the four Sundays before Christmas.
What is Glühwein?
Mulled wine, a hot red wine with spices. You find it on German Christmas markets.
How do you say you go to the Christmas market in German?
Wir gehen auf den Weihnachtsmarkt. Use the preposition auf.
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