German Vocabulary > German-English Halloween Glossary

 
GERMAN-ENGLISH GLOSSARY
ENGLISH-GERMAN GLOSSARY

Halloween | Martinstag | Fall | Pumpkins | Graves

An Annotated German-English Glossary of Halloween Terms
In this annotated glossary, you’ll find vocabulary and facts related to the Halloween celebration, Martinstag (Nov. 11, St. Martin's Day) and fall customs in German-speaking Europe. Also see the English-German version of this glossary.

Also see:
  German Hangman: Halloween (vocabulary game)
  Halloween in Germany plus Martinstag (German Way)

ABBREVIATIONS:
adj. (adjective), adv. (adverb), , f. (feminine), lit. (literary), m. (masculine), n. (noun), pl. (plural), sl. (slang), v. (verb)

Glossary Copyright © Copyright © 2000-2011 Hyde Flippo
 

A

der Apfel (Äpfel) apple
Allerheiligen All Saints Day (in Catholic regions)
   (Nov. 1, short for Tag der Allerheiligen)
Allerseelen All Souls Day (in Catholic regions)
   (Nov. 2, short for Tag der Allerseelen)
ausgehöhlter Kürbis jack-o'-lantern, hollowed-out pumpkin

B

das/der Bonbon (-s) candy, sweets
der Brauch (Bräuche) custom(s), tradition(s)

D

der Dämon demon
dekorieren to decorate
dekoriert decorated

E

erleuchten to light up (a pumpkin)
erschrecken to scare, frighten

F

die Fratze (-n) face, mask; ugly face, pose
das Fratzen-Fest lit., "mask/face festival"
der Fratzenmacher someone who makes faces
Fratzen schneiden/ziehen to make faces, cut faces (in pumpkin)
der Friedhof (-höfe) cemetery, graveyard

G

der Geist (-er) ghost, spirit
die Geistergeschichte (-n) ghost story
das Gespenst (Gespenster) ghost, spectre, phantom
die Gespenstergeschichte ghost story
die Gespensterstunde the witching hour
gespentisch/spukhaft spooky
das Grab (Gräber) grave, tomb
das Grabgewölbe (-) crypt, tomb, vault
das Grablicht (-er) candle (on grave)
das Grabmal (-e) grave, monument, vault, tomb
die Grabstätte (-n) grave, crypt, vault, tomb
der Grabstein (-e) gravestone, tombstone
die Gruft (Grüfte) crypt, vault, tomb
Grusel- (in compounds) horror-
   das Gruselmärchen (-) horror tale
   der Gruselfilm horror movie
gruselig horror-like, monstrous

H

Halloween feiern to celebrate Halloween
heidnisch heathen, non-Christian
der Herbst autumn, fall
die Hexe (-n) witch(es)
der Horror horror
   der Horrorfilm horror movie
   die Horrorszene horror scene

K

die Kerze (-n) candle
der Kobold (-e) hobgoblin, goblin
das Kostüm (-e) costume
das Kostümfest, die Kostümparty costume party
der Kürbis (Kürbisse) pumpkin, gourd
die Kürbisflasche (-n) gourd
der Kürbis-Kopf pumpkin head
die Kürbislaterne jack-o’-lantern

L

der Lampion (-s) paper lantern, Chinese lantern
die Laterne (-n) lantern
der Laternenzug lantern procession (on St. Martin’s Day, Nov. 11)

die Leiche (-n) corpse, dead body

MORE > German Hangman: Halloween
MORE > Halloween in Germany plus Martinstag (German Way)

M

der Mantel cloak, coat (of St. Martin, see below)
die Martinsgans the Martin’s goose, Martinmas goose (eaten on St. Martin's Day, Nov. 11)
das Martinshörnchen St. Martin croissant-shaped pastry (common in certain regions; also see "Weckmann")
die Martinslampe, die Martinslaterne Martin’s lamp, lantern (carried in the Martinszug)
die Martinsmesse St. Martin's Mass (held at 11:11 p.m. on 11/11)
der Martinsritt traditional horse and rider representing St. Martin as a Roman soldier on horseback
der Martinstag the Feast of St. Martin, St. Martin’s Day, Martinmas (Nov. 11)
der Martinszug St. Martin’s Day procession (on Nov. 11) in which children and/or adults carry candle-lit lamps

die Maske (-n) mask
das Monster (-) monster
das Monsterkostüm monster costume

N

die Nacht (Nächte) night
das Nachtgespenst (-e) night spirit/ghost
der November November
  der 11. November November 11th (Martinmas)
das/der Nugat nougat (candy)

O

das Obst fruit
der Oktober October
das Omen omen

S

schaurig spooky, hair-raising
der Schimmel (-) white horse, white steed (ridden by Martin of Tours)
der Schimmelreiter (mythical) ghost rider (on a white horse)
die Seele (-n) soul
das Skelett (-e) skeleton
die Spinne (-n) spider
das Spinngewebe or Spinnwebe spider/spider's web
der Spuk spook, spectre, apparition, ghost, phantom
spuken to haunt
   Es spukt (im Haus). The place (house) is haunted.
der Spukgeist (-er) apparition, ghost
die Spukgeschichte (-n) ghost story (also Geistergeschichte)
das Spukhaus (Spukhäuser) haunted house
spukhaft spooky
der Spukort (-e) haunted place
der Streich prank, trick
   Streich oder Süßigkeit! Trick or treat!
   jdm einen (bösen) Streich spielen to play a (nasty) trick/prank on someone
Süßes oder Saures! Trick or treat! (lit., "sweet or sour [things]")
die Süßigkeit (-en) candy, sweets
die Süßwaren (pl.) candy, sweets

A St. Martin procession in the Netherlands. Photo: wikipedia.org

T

der Teufel devil
der Tod death
tot (adj.) dead
der Tote the dead one (m.)
die Tote the dead one (f.)
die Toten the dead (pl.)
der Totensonntag Remembrance Sunday (for the dead)
   (Protestant observance on the last Sunday before Advent, in November)

V

der Vampir (Vampire) vampire
die Vampirin (-nen) female vampire, vampiress
sich verkleiden to dress up (in costume)

W

die Walpurgisnacht Walpurgis Night
   (A Halloween-like observance on the last night of April, on the eve of May Day, popular in Germany and northern Europe.)
der Weckmann (Weckmänner) "bread man" - a traditional baked figure of a man (with raisin eyes) for Martinstag
  (Recipe: Weckmann - germanfoods.org)
der Werwolf (Werwölfe) werewolf (-wolves)

Z

der Zombie zombie
die Zucchini squash, zucchini, courgette (Brit.)
der Zucker sugar, candy (in compounds)
   die Zuckerwatte cotton candy, candy floss (Brit.)

NEXT > English-German Halloween Glossary

MORE > German Hangman: Halloween
MORE > Halloween in Germany plus Martinstag (German Way)

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Glossary Copyright © 2000-2011 Hyde Flippo