Karfreitag
/kaːɐ̯ˈfraitaːk/masculine
Good Friday in German is Karfreitag. Wiktionary also lists Charfreitag and Hoher Freitag.
Meaning: The Friday before Easter Sunday, the commemoration of the day on which Christ was crucified (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Karfreitag | /kaːɐ̯ˈfraitaːk/ | masculine |
| Charfreitag | masculine | |
| Hoher Freitag | masculine | |
| Stiller Freitag | masculine |
Karfreitag refers to the Friday before Easter Sunday, commemorating the day on which Christ was crucified. In Germany, it is a public holiday marked by traditions of silence and solemnity.
Which one should you use?
Other forms include Charfreitag, Hoher Freitag and Stiller Freitag.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of this word are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaːɐ̯ˈfraitaːk/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not attempt to translate the word 'good' literally as 'gut' to create a phrase like Guter Freitag. Instead, use the term with the archaic Kar- prefix.
Did you know?
- In many German states, Karfreitag is a 'stiller Tag', meaning it is legally forbidden to hold public dances, concerts or loud festivities.
- The term Karfreitag actually contains a root that means 'mourning' or 'lamentation', rather than 'good'.
- The phrase Hoher Freitag uses the word 'hoher', which means 'high', reflecting the day's importance in the liturgical calendar.
Examples in context
- Nach Karfreitag kommt Ostern.After Good Friday comes Easter.This sentence shows the sequence of holidays after Karfreitag.Tatoeba #1944229 by Esperantostern, translation #5164020 by Dejo
- Millionen von Menschen in aller Welt gedenken an diesem Karfreitag der Kreuzigung Jesu bei Jerusalem.Millions of people around the world are observing Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem.This sentence describes people observing the crucifixion on Karfreitag.Tatoeba #9986863 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8669686 by Hybrid
- Heute ist Karfreitag.Today is Good Friday.This sentence is a simple way to state that today is Karfreitag.Tatoeba #10768583 by maaster, translation #9933883 by Hybrid
- Morgen ist Karfreitag, und alle Geschäfte bleiben geschlossen.Tomorrow is Good Friday, and all stores will be closed.
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are planning their holiday days off.
- JulianHaben wir an Karfreitag frei?Do we have Good Friday off?
- JuliaJa, das ist ein gesetzlicher Feiertag.Yes, that is a public holiday.
- JulianDann können wir ein langes Wochenende machen.Then we can have a long weekend.
- JuliaDas klingt nach einem guten Plan, Julian.That sounds like a good plan, Julian.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good Friday” translations and entries Karfreitag, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Freitag, Karfreitag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
