Christmas is, as in most countries where Christianity is a major religion, a major holiday in Germany. Of course, other religious holidays such as the Muslim Ramadan and the Jewish Hanukkah are also celebrated in Germany at this time of year. Although the German word for Christmas (das Weihnachten) is a neuter noun, it's rare that you use a definite article with the name of a holiday—in the same way that you rarely hear "the Christmas." Let's take a look today at some typical Christmas terms you'll hear in Germany during this holiday season.
Manchmal wird der Adventskalender auch einfach Weihnachtskalender genannt.
Sometimes, the Advent calendar is also called simply the Christmas calendar.
Caption 9, Eva erklärt: den Adventskalender
Play Caption
Wir haben jedes Jahr im Advent Stollen gegessen und die Kerzen am Adventskranz angezündet.
We ate stollen every year during Advent and lit the candles on the Advent wreath.
Captions 24-25, Nicos Weg: Lieblingsfeste
Play Caption
Advent (der Advent) is the period prior to Christmas preparing for its celebration. Connected with Advent, you have the Advent calendar (der Adventskalender) and the Advent wreath (der Adventskranz). Although the word "stollen" is also an English word, not everybody knows that it means the German style of Christmas cake: der Stollen or der Weihnachtsstollen.
Und die Bescherung, ist die vor dem Essen oder nach dem Essen bei Ihnen?
And the gift exchange, is it before dinner or after dinner for you?
Caption 41, Weihnachtsinterviews: Cettina in Linkenheim
Play Caption
Die Bescherung may also be translated as "the gift-giving" or "giving out the presents" etc. If you're wondering why kids in Germany have to wait until just before or after dinnertime to open the presents, they are in fact opening them early: Die Bescherung takes place on December 24th on Christmas Eve (der Heiligabend). Parents in Germany probably discovered that if the kids get to open their presents on Christmas Eve, it's possible to sleep in later on Christmas day!
Die Geschenke liegen meistens unter einem geschmückten Tannenbaum.
The presents are usually under a decorated Christmas tree.
Caption 33, Weihnachten in Deutschland: Weihnachtstraditionen
Play Caption
You probably know the song "O Tannenbaum" already. Sometimes the Christmas tree is also called der Christbaum.
Also das Schönste an Weihnachten für mich ist eigentlich der Glühwein.
The nicest thing about Christmas for me is actually the mulled wine.
Caption 23, KIT: Was ist für dich das Schönste an Weihnachten?
Play Caption
So while Americans of legal age are reaching for their eggnog at Christmas, Germans will be imbibing Glühwein.
Heute wollen wir mit euch Plätzchen backen.
Today we want to bake Christmas cookies with you.
Caption 3, Weihnachtsplätzchen backen: mit Diane und vielen kleinen Helfern
Play Caption
Felicia hat ein gutes Plätzchen für das Tipi gefunden.
Felicia has found a nice little place for the tipi.
Caption 67, Abenteuer Nordsee: Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen
Play Caption
In the first caption, the singular of Christmas cookies is das Plätzchen, which literally means "little place." Note that in the second caption, Plätzchen is used more literally and is not about setting up a tipi on some Christmas cookies!
Der Nikolaus bringt den Kindern Süßigkeiten.
Saint Nicholas brings the children candy.
Caption 16, Deutsch mit Eylin: Pronomen
Play Caption
Nikolaus–more formally der Sankt Nikolaus–is the German equivalent of Santa Claus. In fact, Nikolaus is the historical basis for Santa Claus, who first widely appeared under this moniker in 19th-century America.
Further Learning
Watch some of the videos above on Yabla German, and happy holiday wishes from all of us here at Yabla!
Advent is the time of year in Western Christian practice that starts on a Sunday at the end of November or first week of December and ends on December 24th, though it is popularly celebrated starting on December 1st. Let's take a look today at some German customs of the Advent season.
Der Advent, das ist die Zeit vor Weihnachten.
Advent, that is the time before Christmas.
Und an den Adventstagen ist es ein beliebter Zeitvertreib,
And during the days of Advent it is a favorite pastime
über den Weihnachtsmarkt zu spazieren.
to take a walk through the Christmas market.
Captions 3-5, Weihnachtsmärkte - mit Eva
Play Caption
Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) are going to be very limited this year due to the Corona pandemic. There are, however, plans to allow limited access by selling tickets with specific entry times. Some cities have even introduced drive-through Christmas markets so that people can shop from the relative safety of their cars!
Am Sonntag haben wir den ersten Advent.
On Sunday we'll have the first Advent.
Und dann machen wir natürlich das erste Lichtlein hier an dem Adventskranz an.
And then we'll, of course, put on the first little candle here on the Advent wreath.
Am zweiten Advent kommt dann das zweite Licht, am dritten Advent das dritte Licht,
On the second Advent comes then the second candle, on the third Advent the third candle,
und am vierten Advent ist Weihnachten.
and on the fourth Advent is Christmas.
Captions 58-61, Unterwegs mit Cettina - auf dem Bruchsaler Weihnachtsmarkt
Play Caption
Advent wreaths with candles originated in the mid-19th century in Hamburg, Germany, but they were not commonly allowed in German churches until after the Second World War.
In der Adventszeit oder eben in der Vorweihnachtszeit gibt es viele verschiedene Bräuche.
In the Advent season or in the run-up to Christmastime, there are many different customs.
Caption 5, Eva erklärt - den Adventskalender
Play Caption
One of these customs is the Advent calendar:
Der Adventskalender hat 24 Türen, und auf jeder steht eine Zahl.
The Advent calendar has 24 doors, and each one has a number on it.
Caption 11, Eva erklärt - den Adventskalender
Play Caption
The Advent calendar also originated in 19th century Germany, but of course the best-known Christmas tradition with roots in German culture is der Weihnachtsbaum, also called der Tannenbaum or der Christbaum.
Heute wollen wir einen Weihnachtsbaum aufstellen.
Today we want to set up a Christmas tree.
Caption 8, Frohe Weihnachten - der Christbaum
Play Caption
Further Learning
Watch all of the videos above in their entirety to get a feel for some German Christmas customs and search for more holiday-related videos on Yabla German. Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday season from us at Yabla!
We have "to see," "to watch," and "to look" in English, but there are even more verbs in German, and the meanings are often prefix-dependent. In German, the three verbs/verb roots are sehen, schauen, and gucken / kucken. Gucken or (more commonplace) kucken is slang and is more popular in northern Germany, whereas schauen is slang in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. To gain an understanding of how these verbs are used, it's best to look at various examples and see how added prefixes affect the meaning.
Below, you can see examples of these three verbs without any prefixes.
Die anderen Tiere sind im Winter leider nicht draußen zu sehen.
The other animals are unfortunately not to be seen outside in the winter.
Caption 20, Berlin - Domäne Dahlem
Play Caption
Wo sehen Sie sich selbst in zehn Jahren?
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Caption 55, Berufsleben - das Vorstellungsgespräch
Play Caption
Hast du schon im Schrank geschaut? -Ja.
Have you already looked in the closet? -Yes.
Caption 4, Nicos Weg - Vorm Fahrradladen
Play Caption
Ich bin runter und habe geguckt, war aber nichts.
I went down and looked, but there was nothing.
Caption 28, Rheinmain im Blick - Erdbeben in Südhessen
Play Caption
Based on these examples, you might come to the conclusion that sehen is always translated as "to see" and schauen and kucken are translated as "to look." However, this is simply not the case. It is instead the prefixes that reliably determine the translations. As you see below, sich etwas anschauen and sich etwas ansehen both mean "to (take/have a) look at something," as does sich etwas ankucken.
Und einen Brauch wollen wir uns heute ansehen.
And we want to take a look at one of these customs today.
Caption 6, Eva erklärt - den Adventskalender
Play Caption
Zuerst schauen wir uns einige Farben an.
First, we will look at some colors.
Caption 6, Eva erklärt - Farben
Play Caption
Der Arzt schaut sich den Fuß jetzt erst mal an.
First, the doctor will take a look at your foot.
Caption 5, Nicos Weg - Beim Arzt
Play Caption
Kuckt euch diese alte Kamera an.
Look at this old camera.
Caption 21, Drei Leute - beim Kofferpacken
Play Caption
The phrases mal sehen, mal schauen, and mal kucken are essentially synonyms and can mean either "let's have a look at" or "let's see," depending on the context.
Mal schauen, wie weit die Cannelloni sind.
Let's see how far along the cannelloni are.
Caption 41, Cannelloni - mit Jenny
Play Caption
Mal kucken, was die anderen Jugendlichen hier im Jugendforum so treiben.
Let's see what the other young people here in the Youth Forum are up to.
Caption 10, Rheinman in Blick - Nachhaltigkeit
Play Caption
Aussehen and ausschauen both refer to a person's appearance. Note: It is not possible to say auskucken in this context!
Du siehst gut aus.
You look good.
Caption 3, Weihnachtsmann gesucht - Bist du verliebt?
Play Caption
Also, er hat mich gefragt: „Wie möchtest denn...
Well, he asked me: "How would you then like...
Herr Otto, wie möchtest denn ausschauen?“
Mr. Otto, how would you like to look then?"
Caption 9, Otto Waalkes - Friseur
Play Caption
The verb "to watch" is most often translated as zusehen or zuschauen.
Auf den Besuchertribünen kann jeder den Abgeordneten bei der Arbeit zusehen.
On the visitors' stands, everyone can watch the representatives at work.
Caption 23, Berlin - Hauptstadt des vereinten Deutschland
Play Caption
Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen.
Thank you for watching.
Caption 27, Eva - zeigt uns Kleidungsstücke
Play Caption
When it comes to watching television or a film, there are various expressions involving all three verbs.
Am Freitag sehe ich fern.
On Friday, I will watch television.
Caption 17, Nicos Weg - Am Sonntag koche ich
Play Caption
Wir haben viel zusammen gekocht und Filme gekuckt.
We often cooked together and watched films.
Caption 32, Fine - sucht eine Wohnung
Play Caption
Wenn du den Fernseher anmachst, was schaust du?
When you turn on the television, what do you watch?
Caption 36, Peyman Amin - Der Modelmacher
Play Caption
Further Learning
There are many, many examples of these verbs (sehen, sich etwas ansehen, zusehen, aussehen, and the slang versions) used in context on Yabla German. When you notice an incongruity between the two languages or an exception, make sure to take note of it.
Sometimes it's good to just set the record straight, and with that intention, let's take a look at zählen and zahlen. Short and sweet: zählen is "to count," and zahlen is "to pay."
Sie zählen die Stimmen nach dem Ende der Wahl.
They count the votes after the end of the election.
Caption 4, Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Einbürgerungstest - Part 6
Play Caption
Das macht zusammen vierzig Euro fünfzig. Zahlen Sie bar oder mit Karte?
All together that is forty euros and fifty cents. Will you be paying in cash or with a card?
Caption 7, Nicos Weg - Folge 16: Zahlen, bitte!
Play Caption
Although you might be able to come up with a mnemonic device that you find helpful, simply remembering that Ich möchte zahlen means "I would like to pay" may be enough to help you sort it out. At the same time, you might still find that you get flustered mid-sentence trying to remember which verb is correct. It doesn't help that the noun die Zahlen means the "the numbers." It is the plural version of the noun die Zahl:
Der Adventskalender hat vierundzwanzig Türen, und auf jeder steht eine Zahl.
The Advent calendar has twenty-four doors, and each one has a number on it.
Caption 11, Eva erklärt - den Adventskalender
Play Caption
In English, "to count" can also mean "to matter." Zählen is also used to mean "to count," "to count as" or "to number among." Take a look at these examples:
Beim Blocken zählt jede Sekunde.
When blocking, every second counts.
Caption 37, Olympische Spiele - Beachvolleyball
Play Caption
Sie zählt mit zu Deutschlands erfolgreichsten Sängerinnen.
She is counted among Germany's most successful singers.
Caption 2, Cassandra Steen - Geheimnis für positive Energie
Play Caption
And one final note: you probably have wondered what the difference is between zahlen and bezahlen. The truth is that they are often interchangeable, but there are some instances where zahlen is wrong. For example, when you speak about paying a person for a service, you would generally use bezahlen and not zahlen.
Further Learning
Look up the meanings of the related verbs anzahlen, zurückzahlen, and auszahlen, and search Yabla German to find them used in a real-world context. Some words related to zählen are die Volkszählung ("census") and der Stromzähler ("the electricity meter").
Spanish
French
Italian
Chinese
English
English 
Español
Français
Italiano
Português
Deutsch
