Talking about Customs, Festivals, and Celebrations in German

This section explains how to talk about festivals, customs and celebrations in German, providing vocabulary and examples.  It also includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers.

Festivals and Celebrations

In Germany, festivals and celebrations are an important part of the culture, with many events taking place throughout the year. Talking about festivals, customs, and celebrations in German requires you to know key vocabulary and useful phrases. Below are the main festivals, customs, and celebrations in Germany, along with important phrases to discuss them.

Key Festivals and Celebrations in Germany

Common Festivals and Celebrations:

• Das Oktoberfest – The Oktoberfest (Beer festival in Munich)
• Weihnachten – Christmas
• Ostern – Easter
• Neujahr – New Year
• Karneval – Carnival
• Das Erntedankfest – Harvest Festival
• Der Tag der Deutschen Einheit – German Unity Day (3rd October)
• Hochzeit – Wedding
• Geburtstag – Birthday
• Der Nikolaustag – St. Nicholas Day (6th December)

Describing Festivals

When talking about festivals, it’s useful to be able to describe them, the traditions, and how people celebrate. Below are some sentences and phrases to describe festivals and celebrations in German.

Example Phrases for Describing Festivals:

• Das Oktoberfest ist das größte Volksfest in Deutschland.
  (Oktoberfest is the largest folk festival in Germany.)
• Zu Weihnachten schmückt man den Weihnachtsbaum und es gibt Geschenke.
  (At Christmas, people decorate the Christmas tree and there are gifts.)
• Karneval ist ein großes Fest, besonders in Köln.
  (Carnival is a big celebration, especially in Cologne.)
• An Ostern verstecken die Eltern Eier und Kinder suchen sie.
  (At Easter, parents hide eggs and children look for them.)
• An Neujahr essen wir traditionell Sauerkraut und Würstchen.
  (On New Year’s Day, we traditionally eat sauerkraut and sausages.)
• Erntedankfest ist ein Fest, um für die Ernte des Jahres zu danken.
  (Harvest Festival is a celebration to give thanks for the harvest of the year.)

Discussing Traditions

German festivals often include certain customs or traditions. You may want to explain these when talking about different holidays.

Example Sentences for Talking About Traditions:

• An Weihnachten gehen viele Menschen in die Kirche und singen Weihnachtslieder.
  (At Christmas, many people go to church and sing Christmas carols.)
• Während des Karnevals tragen die Menschen bunte Kostüme und es gibt Umzüge.
  (During Carnival, people wear colourful costumes and there are parades.)
• Am Nikolaustag stellen Kinder ihre Stiefel vor die Tür, um Süßigkeiten zu bekommen.
  (On St. Nicholas Day, children put their boots outside the door to get sweets.)
• An Ostern isst man Schokolade und bunte Eier.
  (At Easter, people eat chocolate and coloured eggs.)
• Beim Erntedankfest gibt es oft ein großes Festmahl mit lokalen Spezialitäten.
  (At Harvest Festival, there is often a big meal with local specialties.)
• An Silvester feiern wir mit Feuerwerk und einem festlichen Abendessen.
  (On New Year’s Eve, we celebrate with fireworks and a festive dinner.)

Discussing Customs and How People Celebrate

Here are some phrases to describe how people celebrate and the customs associated with the festivals:

Example Phrases for Discussing How People Celebrate:

• In Deutschland feiert man Silvester oft mit Freunden und Familie.
  (In Germany, New Year’s Eve is often celebrated with friends and family.)
• Viele Leute feiern ihren Geburtstag mit einer Party und Kuchen.
  (Many people celebrate their birthday with a party and cake.)
• Die Leute tanzen und singen beim Karneval.
  (People dance and sing during Carnival.)
• Zu Ostern trifft sich die Familie, um gemeinsam zu essen.
  (At Easter, the family meets to eat together.)
• An Weihnachten gibt es immer ein großes Festessen und man tauscht Geschenke aus.
  (At Christmas, there is always a big meal and people exchange gifts.)
• In einigen Regionen Deutschlands gibt es einen Umzug an Karneval.
  (In some regions of Germany, there is a parade during Carnival.)

Food at Festivals

Certain festivals are associated with traditional foods and drinks. Here are some key food items related to celebrations:

Key Vocabulary for Festival Food:

• Die Bratwurst – Grilled sausage (common at festivals like Oktoberfest)
• Das Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage, traditional for New Year)
• Die Lebkuchen – Gingerbread cookies (popular at Christmas)
• Die Brezel – Pretzel (common during Oktoberfest)
• Der Christstollen – Christmas fruit bread
• Das Osterei – Easter egg
• Die Plätzchen – Christmas cookies
• Der Glühwein – Mulled wine (served at Christmas markets)
• Das Bier – Beer (widely consumed at festivals, particularly Oktoberfest)

Example Phrases for Talking About Food:

• Zu Weihnachten esse ich immer Lebkuchen und Stollen.
  (At Christmas, I always eat gingerbread and fruit bread.)
• An Ostern gibt es oft Schokoladeneier und ein großes Mittagessen.
  (At Easter, there are often chocolate eggs and a big lunch.)
• Beim Oktoberfest trinkt man viel Bier und isst Brezeln und Bratwurst.
  (At Oktoberfest, people drink a lot of beer and eat pretzels and sausages.)
• Zum Erntedankfest gibt es traditionelle Gerichte wie Kürbissuppe.
  (At Harvest Festival, there are traditional dishes like pumpkin soup.)

Higher Tier Vocabulary

Die Tradition – Tradition

Die Feierlichkeiten – Celebrations

Die Festlichkeit – Festivity

Das Festmahl – Feast

Die Umzüge – Parades

Die Brauchtümer – Customs

Die Feier – Party

Die Deko – Decorations

Die Süßigkeiten – Sweets / Candies

Die Neujahrsresolution – New Year’s resolution

Higher Tier Example Sentences:

• Die traditionellen Umzüge zum Karneval sind ein bedeutender Teil der Feierlichkeiten.
  (The traditional parades for Carnival are an important part of the celebrations.)
• Zu Weihnachten verbringt man viel Zeit mit der Familie und genießt ein Festmahl.
  (At Christmas, people spend a lot of time with their family and enjoy a feast.)
• Der Weihnachtsmarkt ist bekannt für seine festliche Dekoration und leckeren Glühwein.
  (The Christmas market is known for its festive decorations and delicious mulled wine.)

Example Dialogue:

Wie feierst du Weihnachten?
(How do you celebrate Christmas?)

Wir schmücken den Baum, essen ein großes Festessen und tauschen Geschenke aus.
(We decorate the tree, eat a big meal, and exchange gifts.)

Was isst ihr an Weihnachten?
(What do you eat at Christmas?)

Wir essen traditionell Gänsebraten, Kartoffeln und Rotkohl.
(We traditionally eat roast goose, potatoes, and red cabbage.)

Und was machst du zu Neujahr?
(And what do you do on New Year’s Day?)

Wir feiern mit Feuerwerk und einem Abendessen mit Freunden und Familie.
(We celebrate with fireworks and a dinner with friends and family.)

Festivals in Other Countries

You might also want to talk about festivals in other countries, especially when comparing them with German traditions.

Example Sentences for Comparing Festivals:

• In Großbritannien feiert man Weihnachten ähnlich wie in Deutschland, aber es gibt keine Weihnachtsmärkte.
  (In the UK, Christmas is celebrated similarly to Germany, but there are no Christmas markets.)
• In Spanien feiern sie das Fiesta de San Fermín, während in Deutschland der Karneval beliebter ist.
  (In Spain, they celebrate the Fiesta de San Fermín, while Carnival is more popular in Germany.)
• In den USA feiern viele Menschen Thanksgiving, aber in Deutschland gibt es kein vergleichbares Fest.
  (In the USA, many people celebrate Thanksgiving, but there is no equivalent festival in Germany.)

These notes should help you discuss festivals, customs, and celebrations in German at both Foundation and Higher Tier levels. Use the vocabulary and phrases to describe how different festivals are celebrated, the food, traditions, and how people come together for these important occasions.