German Winter Vocabulary: 100 Amazing Winter Words in German
Germany, Austria, Switzerland – wonderworld during the winter. It’s not so rare to hear about people visiting these amazing European countries during the end of the year.
Maybe it’s only for having the chance to say happy new year in German, or exploring the German Christmas markets, but you still have to learn the German winter vocabulary.
Lerne Deutsch made a video about German winter vocabulary, check it here:
We have categorzied the German winter vocabulary into 10 sections, so you can find the one you’re looking for.
1. German weather vocabulary for the weather (Wetterbedingungen)
German winters can be quite the experience.
From frosty mornings to heavy snowfall…
Let’s explore some key terms to describe these chilly conditions.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Es ist kalt. | It’s cold. |
| Es schneit. | It’s snowing. |
| Die Straße ist glatt. | The road is slippery. |
| Draußen ist es frostig. | It’s frosty outside. |
| Der Wind ist eisig. | The wind is icy. |
| Es ist bewölkt. | It’s cloudy. |
| Die Temperaturen sinken. | The temperatures are dropping. |
| Es gibt Schneeverwehungen. | There are snowdrifts. |
| Das Wetter ist ungemütlich. | The weather is unpleasant. |
| Es herrscht Winterwetter. | Winter weather prevails. |
2. German winter clothing vocabulary (Winterkleidung)
When the temperature drops, it’s time to bundle up!
Germans take their winter wear seriously, and for good reason. We’ll look at essential vocabulary for staying warm and stylish during the cold months.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich brauche einen warmen Mantel. | I need a warm coat. |
| Zieh deine Handschuhe an. | Put on your gloves. |
| Wo ist mein Schal? | Where is my scarf? |
| Diese Stiefel sind wasserdicht. | These boots are waterproof. |
| Deine Mütze ist schön. | Your hat is nice. |
| Ich trage warme Socken. | I’m wearing warm socks. |
| Die Jacke ist zu dünn. | The jacket is too thin. |
| Ich ziehe mich warm an. | I’m dressing warmly. |
| Wir brauchen Winterkleidung. | We need winter clothing. |
| Die Handschuhe wärmen gut. | The gloves warm well. |
3. Winter activities in German (Winteraktivitäten)
Winter in Germany isn’t just about staying indoors.
There’s a whole world of fun to be had in the snow and ice! From skiing in the Alps to ice skating on frozen lakes, let’s dive into the language of winter fun.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wir gehen Ski fahren. | We’re going skiing. |
| Lasst uns Schlittschuh laufen. | Let’s go ice skating. |
| Die Kinder rodeln gerne. | The children enjoy sledding. |
| Wir bauen einen Schneemann. | We’re building a snowman. |
| Ich mag Schneeballschlachten. | I like snowball fights. |
| Wir machen eine Winterwanderung. | We’re going on a winter hike. |
| Sie fährt Snowboard. | She’s snowboarding. |
| Wir gehen Langlaufen. | We’re going cross-country skiing. |
| Die Familie macht einen Winterspaziergang. | The family is taking a winter walk. |
| Ich mache Fotos von der Winterlandschaft. | I’m taking photos of the winter landscape. |
4. Winter holiday expressions in German (Winterfeste und Traditionen)
The winter season in Germany is rich with festive celebrations.
From the magic of Christmas markets to the excitement of New Year’s Eve, we’ll explore the vocabulary that brings these events to life.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Der Weihnachtsmarkt ist schön. | The Christmas market is beautiful. |
| Wir feiern Silvester. | We’re celebrating New Year’s Eve. |
| Der Adventskranz hat vier Kerzen. | The Advent wreath has four candles. |
| Die Geschenke sind unter dem Baum. | The gifts are under the tree. |
| Karneval ist lustig. | Carnival is fun. |
| Wir singen Weihnachtslieder. | We’re singing Christmas carols. |
| Ich backe Plätzchen. | I’m baking cookies. |
| Der Nikolaus bringt Süßigkeiten. | Saint Nicholas brings sweets. |
| Wir schmücken den Tannenbaum. | We’re decorating the Christmas tree. |
| An Heiligabend gehen wir in die Kirche. | We go to church on Christmas Eve. |
5. Winter in Germany: nature words in German (Natur im Winter)
Winter transforms the German landscape into a wonderland of white.
But it’s not just about snow – there’s a unique beauty in the bare trees, frozen streams, and crisp air. Let’s learn how to describe these winter scenes.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Die Bäume sind kahl. | The trees are bare. |
| Der See ist gefroren. | The lake is frozen. |
| Es gibt viel Schnee. | There’s a lot of snow. |
| Die Landschaft ist weiß. | The landscape is white. |
| Ich sehe Eiszapfen. | I see icicles. |
| Die Vögel suchen Futter. | The birds are looking for food. |
| Der Schnee glitzert in der Sonne. | The snow sparkles in the sun. |
| Die Tage sind kurz. | The days are short. |
| Die Nächte sind lang. | The nights are long. |
| Der Frost macht schöne Muster. | The frost makes beautiful patterns. |
6. Winter food and drinks (Essen und Trinken im Winter)
Nothing beats the cold like a warm, hearty meal or a steaming mug of something delicious. German winter cuisine is all about comfort and coziness. We’ll look at some mouth-watering vocabulary for winter treats.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich trinke Glühwein. | I’m drinking mulled wine. |
| Die Suppe wärmt mich auf. | The soup warms me up. |
| Wir essen Lebkuchen. | We’re eating gingerbread. |
| Heiße Schokolade schmeckt gut. | Hot chocolate tastes good. |
| Ich mag Zimtsterne. | I like cinnamon stars. |
| Wir kochen Eintopf. | We’re cooking stew. |
| Punsch ist ein typisches Wintergetränk. | Punch is a typical winter drink. |
| Grünkohl mit Pinkel ist lecker. | Kale with sausage is delicious. |
| Wir rösten Maronen. | We’re roasting chestnuts. |
| Oma macht Apfelstrudel. | Grandma is making apple strudel. |
7. Common German expressions for winter-related health (Gesundheit im Winter)
With the cold weather comes a few health challenges.
From the common cold to staying fit during the indoor months:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich habe eine Erkältung. | I have a cold. |
| Bleib gesund im Winter. | Stay healthy in winter. |
| Nimm Vitamin C. | Take vitamin C. |
| Meine Haut ist trocken. | My skin is dry. |
| Ich fühle mich müde. | I feel tired. |
| Trink viel Tee. | Drink lots of tea. |
| Die Heizungsluft ist schlecht für die Haut. | The heating air is bad for the skin. |
| Ich habe Halsschmerzen. | I have a sore throat. |
| Bewegung ist wichtig im Winter. | Exercise is important in winter. |
| Ich brauche mehr Schlaf. | I need more sleep. |
8. Home and heating vocabulary (Zuhause und Heizung)
When it’s freezing outside, there’s nothing better than a warm, cozy home.
We’ll explore vocabulary related to keeping your living space comfortable during the cold German winters.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Die Heizung läuft. | The heating is on. |
| Es ist gemütlich drinnen. | It’s cozy inside. |
| Ich drehe die Heizung auf. | I’m turning up the heating. |
| Das Feuer im Kamin brennt. | The fire in the fireplace is burning. |
| Die Fenster sind beschlagen. | The windows are fogged up. |
| Wir kuscheln unter einer Decke. | We’re cuddling under a blanket. |
| Die Wohnung ist warm. | The apartment is warm. |
| Ich lüfte kurz. | I’m airing out briefly. |
| Die Heizkosten sind hoch. | The heating costs are high. |
| Wir haben Fußbodenheizung. | We have underfloor heating. |
9. Transportation in winter (Verkehr im Winter)
Getting around in winter can be tricky.
From icy roads to snowy sidewalks, we’ll look at terms related to winter transportation and how Germans keep moving when the weather turns rough.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Die Straßen sind geräumt. | The roads are cleared. |
| Ich brauche Winterreifen. | I need winter tires. |
| Der Zug hat Verspätung. | The train is delayed. |
| Vorsicht, es ist rutschig! | Careful, it’s slippery! |
| Das Auto muss winterfest sein. | The car must be winterized. |
| Der Gehweg ist gestreut. | The sidewalk is gritted. |
| Die Busse fahren langsamer. | The buses are driving slower. |
| Ich kratze die Scheiben frei. | I’m scraping the windows clear. |
| Der Verkehr ist chaotisch. | The traffic is chaotic. |
| Wir nehmen lieber die U-Bahn. | We’d rather take the subway. |
10. German winter landscape (Winterlandschaft)
The German winter landscape can be breathtakingly beautiful.
From snow-capped mountains to frost-covered forests, take a look at the language used to describe these stunning winter vistas.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Die Berge sind verschneit. | The mountains are snow-covered. |
| Der Wald sieht märchenhaft aus. | The forest looks fairytale-like. |
| Alles ist weiß. | Everything is white. |
| Die Landschaft glitzert. | The landscape sparkles. |
| Es ist sehr still draußen. | It’s very quiet outside. |
| Der Schnee knirscht unter den Füßen. | The snow crunches under foot. |
| Die Luft ist klar und frisch. | The air is clear and fresh. |
| Man sieht Tierspuren im Schnee. | You can see animal tracks in the snow. |
| Die Seen sind zugefroren. | The lakes are frozen over. |
| Die Winterlandschaft ist wunderschön. | The winter landscape is beautiful. |
11. Practice German winter vocabulary with our exercises
Fill in the blanks with the correct winter-related word in German!
This is just part of the exercise. If you’re looking for more, click the button now!
12. One more thing: learn about seasons in German with Conversation Based Chunking
All of the tables above in these sections have lexical chunks. If you want to learn more about them and the method that we use for teaching them (Conversation Based Chunking), then you just have to click this button below!
If you sign up for our email list, you’ll get your first FREE Conversation Based Chunking Guide for German. In this free package, you’ll have a chance to examine a free essential chunking list, check other resources to learn German, and you’ll even access our Full Practice Worksheet Library.
