Weihnachten
noun · /ˈvaɪ̯ˌnaxtən/ ·Etymology
From Middle High German wīhenahten (“Christmas”), from a dative plural ze den wīhen nahten (“in the holy nights”). Compare modern weihen (“to hallow”) and Nacht. The oldest form (1170) is a singular diu wīhe naht (“the Holy Night”); the somewhat later plural is used to refer to the Christmas days and nights collectively. A relation with earlier heathen festivals is not endorsed by the etymological standard sources, though the possibility is admitted. The term is a cognate with Low German Wiehnachten.
Translation
-
Christmas
in-plural, neuter, often, plural, plural-only, strong
Es ist Weihnachten.
It's Christmas.
frohe Weihnachten! (fröhliche Weihnachten!)
merry Christmas!
Wir wünschen Ihnen frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr!
(formal) We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
2016, Miriam Malik, Ein Drache zu Weihnachten und andere Weihnachtsgeschichten, story Ein Löwe zu Weihnachten
I already endured three Christmases, two Easters and carnival as well as countless child's birthdays.
- christmas source:freedict-eng-deu-dictd
- Christmas; Xmas; Yule source:dictcc-tuchemnitz-de-en
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Weihnachten | Weihnachten |
| Accusative | Weihnachten | Weihnachten |
| Dative | Weihnachten | Weihnachten |
| Genitive | Weihnachten | Weihnachten |