English-German Thanksgiving - Erntedank Glossary

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Thanksgiving • Erntedank

German Vocabulary > English-German Thanksgiving Glossary

ENGLISH-GERMAN GLOSSARY
GERMAN-ENGLISH GLOSSARY

Thanksgiving | Erntedank | Fall | Holidays | Pilgrims

An Annotated English-German Glossary of Thanksgiving Terms
In this annotated glossary, you’ll find vocabulary and facts related to the different thanksgiving celebrations and fall customs in German-speaking Europe and in North America. Also see the German-English version of this glossary.

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Also see:
Thanksgiving in Germany - Erntedank (German Way)
Weihnachten: German-English Christmas Glossary

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

America (das) Amerika
  Central America Mittelamerika
  North America Nordamerika
  South America Südamerika

The Pilgrims came to a place called “America” because the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller (1470-1520) named the continent after explorer Amerigo Vespucci when he created the first world map to bear the name America (1507).

apple der Apfel (Äpfel)
autumn, fall der Herbst

baked ham gebackener Schinken
beef das Rindfleisch
bishop der Bischof (Bischöfe)
blessing der Segen
to count your blessings dankbar sein für das, was einem beschert ist; sich glücklich schätzen
bonbon, candy, sweets das/der Bonbon (-s)
bread das Brot bread roll das Brötchen (-)

candy, sugar (in compounds) der Zucker
candy, sweets das/der Bonbon (-s), die Süßigkeit (-en)
candy, sweets die Süßwaren (pl.)
carve (the turkey) (den Truthahn) schneiden, vorschneiden (pre-carve)
celebrate Thanksgiving Erntedankfest feiern
church die Kirche (-n)
in church in der Kirche
to church in die Kirche, zur Kirche
corn, maize, Indian corn der Mais

Do not confuse the German word das Korn with the similar English word. Das Korn refers to grain in general.

cornucopia

cornucopia, horn of plenty das Füllhorn, (fig.) die Fülle (plenty,
abundance) - See image above.
cranberry die Cranberry (-s), die Preiselbeere (-n)
cranberries (pl.) Cranberrys
cranberry sauce das Cranberrymus

Cranberries are somewhat smaller than Preiselbeeren. German uses the English word for cranberries, but forms the plural with -ys rather than -ies.

custom, tradition der Brauch (Bräuche)

decorate (v.i./t.) dekorieren
decorated (adj) dekoriert
dessert das Dessert, die Nachspeise, der Nachtisch
dine, eat (v.i./t.) essen
dinner das Abendbrot, das Abendessen
dressing (salad) das Dressing, die Salatsoße
dressing (stuffing) die Füllung

eat, dine (v.i./t.) essen
eating, dining (n.) das Essen (can also mean "food")

fall, autumn der Herbst
   in the fall im Herbst
family die Familie
food das Essen
fork die Gabel
Frobisher, Martin - English explorer whose 1576 thanksgiving on
   Baffin Island is the basis for the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday.
   More: The First Thanksgiving from The German Way
fruit das Obst, die Frucht (Früchte)

goose die Gans
geese die Gänse

Goose is a traditional holiday dish in Europe. The goose is also a symbol of St. Martin (Nov. 11) because of the legend associated with him. Martin is said to have hidden in a stall to avoid the ceremony appointing him Bishop of Tours. Gabbling geese gave him away. More... (from The German Way)

gourd die Kürbisflasche (-n)
grateful, thankful (adj.) dankbar
gravy die Soße, die Sauce (more formal)

Eine Soße can also be a salad dressing. The basic meaning is "sauce" and to make it clear, one may say Bratensoße or Fleischsoße for gravy; Salatsoße or das Dressing for salad dressing.

gravy bowl/boat die Soßenschüssel

Hale, Sarah Josepha - Editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book who promoted
   the establishment of the US Thanksgiving holiday.
   More: The First Thanksgiving from The German Way
ham der Schinken
   baked ham gebackener Schinken
harvest (n.) die Ernte
harvest (v.) ernten
harvest crown die Erntekrone
harvest queen die Erntekönigin
horn of plenty, cornucopia das Füllhorn

Also see the German-English version of this Thanksgiving Glossary.

Indian, native American der Indianer/die Indianerin

Unlike English, German makes a distinction between an American Indian (Indianer) and someone from India (Inder). The German term for “native Americans” is amerikanische Ureinwohner (pl.).

lantern parade/procession (on St. Martin’s Day or Erntedankfest)
der Laternenumzug, der Laternenzug
lettuce der Salat (can also mean "salad")
lunch das Mittagessen

marshmallow das Marshmallow
mashed potatoes das Kartoffelpüree
Michaelmass der Michaelistag (Sept. 29)
(The date of Erntedank often falls on the first Sunday after Michaelmass.) Martin’s Goose die Martinsgans (eaten on St. Martin’s Day, Nov. 11)
Martin’s lamp, lantern die Martinslampe, die Martinslaterne (carried in the Martinszug)
meal das Essen
Enjoy your meal! Guten Appetit!
meat das Fleisch

nougat (candy) das/der Nugat

October der Oktober

parade, procession der Umzug (Umzüge)
lantern parade/procession der Laternenumzug
pea die Erbse (-n)
pie der Pie (-s) Also see "pumpkin pie" below
pilgrim der Pilger (-), die Pilgerin (-innen)
pork das Schweinefleisch
potato die Kartoffel (-n),
der Erdapfel (-äpfel) (So. Germany, Austria)

The potato originated in Peru and was cultivated by the Incas. It first reached Germany in the 16th century, but it – and the German word Kartoffel – only became popular in the mid-1700s. Kartoffel comes from the Italian word taratopholi ("truffle"). Besides the Austrian Erdapfel, there are many other words for "potato" in various German dialects: Tuffel, Patüffel, Kantuffel (north); Erdbirne, Grumbire, Eschtöpfe (south).

poulard(e), fattened pullet das Masthühnchen, die Poularde (-n)
pumpkin, gourd der Kürbis (Kürbisse)
pumpkin pie der Pumpkin-Pie
(eine Art gedeckter Kürbiskuchen oder eine Pastete)

roast ham gebratener Schinken, der Schinkenbraten
roast turkey gebratene Pute, der Puterbraten, der Truthahnbraten
roll(s) (bread) das Brötchen (-), der Semmel (-n)

Saint Martin’s Day, Feast of St. Martin der Martinstag (Nov. 11)
Saint Martin’s Day procession der Martinszug (on Nov. 11)

November 11, the feast day dedicated to St. Martin of Tours, is the beginning of the Christmas (Weihnachten) season in many parts of Europe (as well as the Karneval or Fasching celebration). Goose (Gans), a symbol of St. Martin, is often served at this time, much as turkey is part of the US Thanksgiving in November. Born around 336 in what is now Hungary (Ungarn), Martinus grew up in Pavia, Italy. Legend has it... More... (from The German Way)

salad der Salat (can also mean "lettuce")
salad dressing die Salatsoße
sauce, gravy die Sauce, die Soße
spoon der Löffel (-)
squash, zucchini, courgette (Br.) die Zucchini, der Patissonkürbis
sweet potato, yam die Batate (-n), die Süßkartoffel (-n)
stuffing, dressing (turkey) die Füllung

thank (v.i.) danken (dative)
thankful, grateful (adj) dankbar
ungrateful (adj) undankbar
thankfulness die Dankbarkeit
Thanksgiving das Dankfest, das Danksagungsfest,
das Erntedankfest

The North American Thanksgiving is probably best translated as Danksagungsfest or Dankfest, since it is really not a “harvest thanksgiving” or Erntedankfest. See Thanksgiving in Germany - Erntedank (German Way) for more about these and other differences.

Thanksgiving parade der Erntedankumzug,
   der Thanksgiving-Umzug (US)
thanks der Dank
   Many thanks! Vielen Dank!
   prayer of thanks das Dankgebet
turkey der Truthahn, der Puter, die Truthenne, die Pute
   turkey breast die Truthahnbrust
   roast turkey der Puterbraten, der Truthahnbraten
   tom turkey der Truthahn, der Puter
   turkey (hen) die Truthenne, die Pute