frohe Weihnachten
/ˌfʁoːə ˈvaɪ̯naxtn̩/
frohe Weihnachten is the German way to say merry Christmas. Wiktionary also lists fröhliche Weihnachten.
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| frohe Weihnachten | /ˌfʁoːə ˈvaɪ̯naxtn̩/ |
| fröhliche Weihnachten | /ˈfʁøːlɪçə ˈvaɪ̯naxtn̩/ |
This phrase is used to offer good wishes during the Christmas season. It is common to use the phrase as a standalone exclamation when greeting someone during the holiday season.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase frohe Weihnachten literally translates to happy Christmas.
Which one should you use?
Both frohe Weihnachten and fröhliche Weihnachten are common and interchangeable. However, fröhliche carries a slightly stronger sense of joyful or cheerful.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the phrase is often used as the direct object of the verb wünschen (to wish), it is used in the accusative case, which for this specific phrase looks identical to the nominative.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌfʁoːə ˈvaɪ̯naxtn̩/
Did you know?
- In Germany, it is traditional to exchange frohe Weihnachten wishes on the evening of December 24th rather than on December 25th.
- The word Weihnachten is actually a contraction of the phrase 'in the holy nights', referring to the sacredness of the period rather than just a single day.
- While the greeting is meant for Christmas, Germans often combine it with frohes neues Jahr to cover both the holiday and the upcoming new year.
Examples in context
- Fröhliche Weihnachten, mein Schatz!Merry Christmas, my love!This sentence shows how to use fröhliche Weihnachten in an affectionate greeting.Tatoeba #1320239 by Vortarulo, translation #1320234 by Eldad
- Wir wünschen dir frohe Weihnachten!We wish you a Merry Christmas.This sentence demonstrates using frohe Weihnachten to express a wish to someone.Tatoeba #11810115 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10272163 by SabukHitam
- Tom wünschte mir frohe Weihnachten.Tom wished me Merry Christmas.This sentence shows the phrase frohe Weihnachten used in the past tense.Tatoeba #13655708 by Naina, translation #13653889 by Ergulis
- Frohe Weihnachten! Ich hoffe, Sie haben eine besinnliche und fröhliche Zeit mit Ihren Familien.Merry Christmas! I hope you have a peaceful and joyful time with your families.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are greeting each other at a Christmas party.
- LukasFrohe Weihnachten, Laura!Merry Christmas, Laura!
- LauraDanke, Lukas! Dir auch frohe Weihnachten.Thanks, Lukas! Merry Christmas to you too.
- LukasVielen Dank!Thank you very much!
- LauraGenieße die Feiertage!Enjoy the holidays!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry Christmas” translations and entries frohe Weihnachten, fröhliche Weihnachten, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Weihnachten, weihnachten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
