jul
[ˈjuˀl]common gender
Christmas in Danish is jul.
jul refers to the festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. You can use it in various compound words and phrases, such as julegave (Christmas gift), juleaften (Christmas Eve), julehygge (Christmas coziness) and julefrokost (Christmas lunch).
Meaning: festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 in most places (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The compound word julegave is formed by combining jul (Christmas) and gave (gift).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun jul is a common-gender noun. Use the definite form julen when referring to a specific Christmas season or the current Christmas period. To indicate possession or association with Christmas, use the genitive form julens, as in julens stemning (the Christmas atmosphere).
When do people say it?
In Denmark, the main celebrations and gift-giving occur on juleaften (Christmas Eve) rather than on Christmas Day. A traditional dish often enjoyed during this time is risalamande, which is rice pudding with almonds and cherry sauce.
Did you know?
- The word jul is not derived from the word for 'birth' or 'Christ', but comes from the Proto-Germanic word for the winter solstice festival.
- During jul, many Danes participate in julekalender, where they open a small door or watch a specific TV episode every day from December 1 until the 24th.
- Danes use julefrokost to describe a Christmas lunch that can often last for many hours and involve significant amounts of beer and schnapps.
Examples in context
- Vi ses til jul.See you at Christmas.This example shows how to use jul when saying see you at Christmas.Tatoeba #3712585 by danepo, translation #2647103 by CK
- Det er ikke jul.It's not Christmas.This example demonstrates a negation using jul.Tatoeba #3712575 by danepo, translation #2249114 by CK
- Det er snart jul.Christmas is soon.This example uses jul to indicate that Christmas is approaching soon.Tatoeba #684074 by danepo, translation #387467 by CK
- 232 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mette and Noah are discussing their plans for the upcoming holiday.
- MetteSkal du hjem til jul, Noah?Are you going home for Christmas, Noah?
- NoahJa, jeg rejser hjem i morgen.Yes, I am traveling home tomorrow.
- MetteDet lyder hyggeligt.That sounds cozy.
- NoahDet bliver en god jul.It will be a good Christmas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Christmas” translations and entries jul, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jul, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
