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English-German Glossary
Silvester/Neujahr - New Year’s

 
German Vocabulary > Silvester/Neujahr

Also see: Dinner for One and German New Year’s Customs

New Year’s Terms and Wishes
mit typischen Neujahrsvorsätzen
with typical New Year's resolutions

ABBREVIATIONS:
adj. (adjective), adv. (adverb), lit. (literary), n. (noun), pl. (plural), sl. (slang), v. (verb), vul. (vulgar)

Glossary Copyright © 2000-2010 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

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

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 2010 2010 (zweitausendzehn), im Jahr 2010 (not in 2010!)
   the year 2000  das Jahr 2000 (zweitausend)
   the Y2K problem  das Y2K-Problem, das Jahr 2000-Problem
   Y2K compliant Jahr-2000-fest

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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)

Glossary Copyright © 2000-2010 Hyde Flippo

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