Frohe Weihnachten
“Merry xmas” in German is Frohe Weihnachten.
Frohe Weihnachten is the standard and most common way to wish someone a Merry Christmas in German.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective frohe (happy/joyful) and the noun Weihnachten (Christmas).
Which one should you use?
While Frohe Weihnachten specifically mentions Christmas, Frohes Fest is a slightly more generic way to say “Happy Holidays” or “Happy Feast”.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the phrase in a full sentence like “I wish you a Merry Christmas”, you would say Ich wünsche dir/Ihnen frohe Weihnachten.
Did you know?
- While the noun Weihnachten is ancient, the verb weihnachten is a much more recent creation. It was actually coined by the poet Theodor Storm in 1862 for his poem 'Knecht Ruprecht'.
- In some parts of Northern Germany, you might encounter the term Wiehnachten. This is the Low German cognate of the standard High German Weihnachten'.
Examples in context
- Wünsche dir ein frohes Fest, voller Liebe, Freude und Gelächter!May your Christmas be filled with love, joy, and laughter!
- Frohe Weihnacht und a guad's Neis Jahr aus'm sonnigen Bayern!Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from sunny Bavaria!
- Frohe Weihnachten, meine Lieben!Merry Christmas, my dear ones!
- Ich wünsche euch frohe Weihnachten.I wish you all a Merry Christmas.
- Frohe Weihnachten an alle!Merry Christmas to everyone!
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are saying goodbye at a Christmas party.
- JuliaEs war ein schöner Abend.It was a lovely evening.
- MaximilianJa, danke für die Einladung!Yes, thanks for the invitation!
- JuliaFrohe Weihnachten, Maximilian!Merry Christmas, Maximilian!
- MaximilianDanke, dir auch, Julia!Thanks, you too, Julia!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Weihnachten, weihnachten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
