Today's words · 🍂 The four seasons
A year in 10 German words
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The easiest way to chat with Germans? Talk about the weather and the seasons.
My first winter in Berlin, it got dark at four in the afternoon. A colleague said „Der Winter hier ist lang, oder?“ and I nodded — but it turned out I'd been saying ‘I'm cold’ wrong all along.
Today's ten words cover the four seasons and the weather. With them you can say which season you love, say you're hot or cold the right way and handle any small talk in the lift. 🍂
📋 The ten words at a glance
🧠 Words, examples and memory tricks
die Jahreszeit
[YAH-res-tsite]season(Pl. die Jahreszeiten)
📌 Der Herbst ist meine Lieblingsjahreszeit.
→ Autumn is my favourite season.
💡 Jahr (year) + Zeit (time) = a time of the year 🗓️ It follows die Zeit, so die.
Bonus favourite season = die Lieblingsjahreszeit
der Frühling
[FRUE-ling]spring(Pl. die Frühlinge)
📌 Im Frühling blühen die Blumen.
→ In spring the flowers bloom.
💡 früh (early) + -ling = the early part of the year 🌸
Bonus Seasons take im: im Frühling
der Sommer
[ZOM-er]summer(Pl. die Sommer)
📌 Im Sommer fahren wir ans Meer.
→ In summer we go to the seaside.
💡 Same root as summer ☀️ The s sounds like a soft z.
Bonus summer holiday = der Sommerurlaub
der Herbst
[HAIRPST]autumn, fall(Pl. die Herbste)
📌 Im Herbst werden die Blätter bunt.
→ In autumn the leaves turn colourful.
💡 Same root as harvest 🍁 Autumn is when you bring the crops in.
⚠ That rbst cluster is tricky. Practise it slowly!
der Winter
[VIN-ter]winter(Pl. die Winter)
📌 Der Winter in Berlin ist kalt und dunkel.
→ Winter in Berlin is cold and dark.
💡 Spelt just like winter ❄️ Just say the w as a v.
Bonus All seasons are der: der Frühling, der Sommer, der Herbst, der Winter
warm
[VARM]warm(warm – wärmer – am wärmsten)
📌 Zieh dich warm an!
→ Dress warmly!
💡 English warm, German v-sound 🧣 Zieh dich warm an! = Wrap up warm!
⚠ Comparative with umlaut: wärmer, am wärmsten
heiß
[HICE]hot(heiß – heißer – am heißesten)
📌 Vorsicht, der Tee ist heiß!
→ Careful, the tea is hot!
💡 Same root as hot 🔥 Breathe out a hot ‘hice’.
⚠ I'm hot = Mir ist heiß. Ich bin heiß. means you're sexy!
kalt
[KALT]cold(kalt – kälter – am kältesten)
📌 Heute ist es sehr kalt.
→ It's very cold today.
💡 Cold → kalt, nearly the same 🥶
⚠ I'm cold = Mir ist kalt. Ich bin kalt. means you're cold-hearted.
der Schnee
[SHNAY]snow((no pl.))
📌 Morgen soll es Schnee geben.
→ It's supposed to snow tomorrow.
💡 Same root as snow ☃️ A snowman is der Schneemann.
Bonus It's snowing = Es schneit.
das Laub
[LOWP]leaves, foliage(Sg.)
📌 Im Herbst muss ich jede Woche Laub im Garten fegen.
→ In autumn I have to sweep up the leaves every week.
💡 Same root as leaf 🍂 Laub is the whole pile on the ground.
⚠ Collective, singular only. One leaf is das Blatt.
🇩🇪 A spoonful of German culture
Daylight changes a lot through the German year. In June it's often still light close to 10 p.m., while in December it can be dark by around four. No wonder Germans make the most of summer sunshine.
Each season has food people look forward to. Spring brings white asparagus season (Spargel), and in autumn many regions enjoy young, still-fermenting wine called Federweißer with onion tart (Zwiebelkuchen).
You'll often hear Germans say: „Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur falsche Kleidung.“ There's no bad weather, only the wrong clothes. 🧥
✅ Quick quiz
Q. It's freezing in winter. How do you say ‘I'm cold’ correctly?
- ① Ich bin kalt.
- ② Mir ist kalt.
- ③ Ich habe kalt.
Show the answer
② Mir ist kalt.
For feeling hot or cold, German uses the dative: Mir ist kalt.
Look out of the window and describe today's weather in one sentence: „Heute ist es …“ Then add „Meine Lieblingsjahreszeit ist …“ 🍂
🔜 Tomorrow's topic: 🎨 Colours & shapes