http://www.cs.umb.edu/~alilley/xmas.html
Merry Christmas to you.
Frohe Weihnachten an alle
Source : Yahoo Answers
More:
http://www.amazon.com/Frohliche-Weihnachten-H-Schweizer/dp/B000003JSN
Remember the Vienna boys choir?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVVxJQCDCLE
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihnachten
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihnachten&ei=bWsXTZviBc2nnwfvtOmDDg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEQQ7gEwBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3DFrohe%2BWeihnachten%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS303%26prmd%3Divns
Frohe Weihnachten an alle
Is it Frohe Weihnachten
or Frohliche Weihnachten?. [Fröhliche Weihnachten] Frohliche Weihnachten is the way it's said in proper German. Frohe Weihnachten is a bit less formal and you'd use it with friends and people you know well.
Frohliche Weihnachten would be seen on Christmas cards, it's the way you'd say it to strangers, your parents, grandparents, etc. They mean the same thing however.
Now the question is, do I know you well?or Frohliche Weihnachten?. [Fröhliche Weihnachten] Frohliche Weihnachten is the way it's said in proper German. Frohe Weihnachten is a bit less formal and you'd use it with friends and people you know well.
Frohliche Weihnachten would be seen on Christmas cards, it's the way you'd say it to strangers, your parents, grandparents, etc. They mean the same thing however.
Source : Yahoo Answers
More:
http://www.amazon.com/Frohliche-Weihnachten-H-Schweizer/dp/B000003JSN
Remember the Vienna boys choir?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVVxJQCDCLE
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihnachten
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihnachten&ei=bWsXTZviBc2nnwfvtOmDDg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEQQ7gEwBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3DFrohe%2BWeihnachten%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS303%26prmd%3Divns
Interesting subject, I never thought of, to be honest, if it is 'Frohe' or 'Fröhliche' Weihnachten and when to say it. My first thought was 'froh' is more old- fashioned than 'fröhlich'. I had a look into my etymological dictionary , the word 'froh' is originated from the middle high german word 'vro' which means bright or fair...and 'fröhlich' is also middle high german and means blitheful, happy...But i can see no differences in use of these two german words in context with 'Weihnachten'in everyday German language. Froh is -IMO- the calm version of 'Weihnacht' and 'fröhlich' is more extrovert.
ReplyDeleteHerzliche Grüße
Sisah
Sisah, thanks for more explanation. I usually use a translator and I was unsure of which to use at first, because I saw more than one version. I also saw Weihnachten with out the h. As Weinachten. So I did what I usually do, I mentioned it on face book. And someone with German background answered me.he said Weihnachten is never without a 'h'.But are there two 'h's? I also asked him if it would have anything to do with my low German background area, and he said he didn't think so, that it would be the same no matter where.
ReplyDeleteWe also had a little laugh, as he attempted to explain the familiarity difference of it's use. As he tried to tell me someone else with the same last name stepped in and asked him if the word he was looking for was "intimate". I guess that is why I worded my blog the way I did. When ever I think of that conversatation on face book , it makes me smile in rememberance of the man who did not use the word intimate.
Have a good day.