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German Vocabulary > Silvester/Neujahr
English-German | German-English
New Year’s Terms and Wishes
mit typischen Neujahrsvorsätzen
with typical New Year's resolutions
Also see:
German-English New Year's Glossary
Dinner for One - A unique German New Year's custom
German New Year’s Customs - More Bräuche
German-English Christmas Glossary
adj. (adjective), adv. (adverb), lit. (literary), n. (noun), pl. (plural), sl. (slang), v. (verb), vul. (vulgar)
Glossary Copyright © 2000-2011 Hyde Flippo
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A
annual(ly) jährlich
B
beginning of the year der Jahresanfang/Jahresbeginn
bell(s) die Glocke (die Glocken)
| In addition to fireworks, church bells ring at midnight to bring in the New Year in Europe. |
C
calendar der Kalender
century das Jahrhundert
in the 21st century im 21. Jahrhundert (im einundzwanzigsten...)
champagne/sparkling wine der Champagner, der Sekt
| The term Champagner is strictly used only for genuine French champagne. Sekt refers to any sparkling wine, made in Germany or elsewhere. |
change of years, turn of the year der Jahreswechsel
cork der Kork
corkscrew der Korkenzieher, die Korklocke
German and Austrian New Year's Customs
Learn about Bleigießen and other traditions
D
date das Datum
“Dinner for One” „Der 90. Geburtstag oder Dinner for One“ is an annual New Year's TV event in Germany. Learn more...
E
end of the year das Jahresende
| The German name for the last day in December comes from Saint Sylvester, who died on December 31, 335. The date of his birth is not certain, but was probably around 280. Sylvester was pope for 21 years, from 314 until his death. Most of what we know about Sylvester is mere myth, but it is true that New Year’s Eve in German bears his name: Silvester. |
F
firecracker(s) der Knaller, der/das Knallbonbon(s), der Kracher
firecracker (big, heavy-duty) der Böller (lit., "mortar")
firecracker (cherry bomb) der Knallfrosch (-frösche)
fireworks, pyrotechnics das Feuerwerk
flaming fire tongs punch die Feuerzangenbowle (see recipe)
H
Happy New Year! Prosit Neujahr!
Happy New Year! einen guten Rutsch! (ins Neujahr)
| Some linguists claim that this traditional New Year’s expression in German has nothing to do with "sliding" (rutschen) into the new year—despite the fact that most German-speakers understand it that way. The expression may come from the Hebrew word "rosh," meaning "head" or "beginning"—thus the beginning of a new year. The expression could have come into German via the Yiddish for "a good beginning"—as in "Rosh Hashanah," the Jewish New Year. That would make it just one of many German (and English) expressions that come from Yiddish. But there are skeptics who think the expression is more likely related to an old meaning of rutschen: to travel or go (into the new year). |
hot fire tongs punch die Feuerzangenbowle (see recipe)
A special German seasonal drink
See German New Year's Customs
hot mulled wine der Glühwein (see recipe)
Beginners German Word of the Day
Daily German vocabulary
Wort des Tages
The advanced German word of the day.
I
International Date Line die Datumsgrenze
L
lead-pouring das Bleigießen (The custom of predicting the year ahead by pouring molten lead into water and "reading" the resulting patterns. Learn more: German New Year's Customs and Bleigießen)
Also see the German-English version of this glossary!
M
midnight die Mitternacht
at midnight um Mitternacht
millennium das Jahrtausend, das Millennium
month(s) der Monat (die Monate)
in January, in June im Januar, im Juni
N
new year das Neujahr, das Neue Jahr, ein neues Jahr
Happy New Year! Prosit Neujahr!
in the New Year im neuen Jahr
New Year's Eve Silvester/der Silvesterabend
on New Year's Eve am Silvesterabend
MORE > Silvester und das neue Jahr
New Year's Day der Neujahrstag
new year’s resolution der Neujahrsvorsatz (-sätze), der gute Vorsatz (die guten Vorsätze)
make New Year’s resolutions gute Vorsätze fassen
| typische Neujahrsvorsätze (typical resolutions, phrases):
in the future in Zukunft, künftig
to be more environmentally aware
umweltbewußter leben/sein
to be nicer/more friendly netter/freundlicher sein
to live more healthily gesünder leben
to lose, take off (weight/pounds)
(Gewicht/Kilo) abnehmen, ablegen
to quit smoking mit dem/zum Rauchen aufhören
Beispiel: Im neuen Jahr werde ich gesünder leben.
Example: In the new year I’ll live a more healthy lifestyle. |
P
to predict voraussagen, vorhersagen, prophezeien
prediction, prophecy die Vorhersage, die Prophezeiung
R
resolution, new year’s der Neujahrsvorsatz (-sätze)
rocket(s) (fireworks) die Rakete(n)
Roman candle die Leuchtkugel
T
toast n. der Trinkspruch, der Toast
toast v. toasten (to propose a toast)
to propose a toast (to) einen Toast (auf...) ausbringen
turn of the century, the die Jahrhundertwende
Y
year(s) das Jahr (-e)
in 2011 2011 (zweitausendelf), im Jahr 2011 (not in 2011!)
in 2012 2012 (zweitausendzwölf), im Jahr 2012 (not in 2012!)
We were in Europe in 2011. Wir waren 2011 in Europa.
the year 2000 das Jahr 2000 (zweitausend)
the Y2K problem das Y2K-Problem, das Jahr 2000-Problem
Y2K compliant Jahr-2000-fest
NOTE: Unlike in English, you do not say "twenty-twelve" or "twenty-thirteen" for a 2000-year in German. You have to say "two thousand twelve" (zweitausendzwölf), "two thousand thirteen" (zweitausenddreizehn), etc.
MORE > German-English version of this glossary
: : PRINT : :
Beginners German Word of the Day
Daily German vocabulary
Wort des Tages
The advanced German word of the day.
MORE > German New Year’s Customs
MORE > Recipes: Feuerzangenbowle and Glühwein (hot drinks)
MORE > German-English Christmas Glossary
Glossary Copyright © 2000-2011 Hyde Flippo
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