Months & Seasons (Junior Cert German): Revision Notes
Months & Seasons
Learning about months and seasons is essential for talking about when things happen in German. This topic covers the vocabulary you need to discuss dates, seasonal activities, and German festivals throughout the year.
The twelve months (Die zwölf Monate)
German month names are similar to English ones, making them easier to remember. All months are masculine nouns and use the article der.
Gender Rule for Months Every single month in German is masculine, so they all take the article der. This makes them easier to learn since you don't need to memorise different genders!
| German | English | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|
| der Januar | January | YAH-noo-ar |
| der Februar | February | FEB-roo-ar |
| der März | March | MEHRTS |
| der April | April | ah-PREEL |
| der Mai | May | MY |
| der Juni | June | YOO-nee |
| der Juli | July | YOO-lee |
| der August | August | ow-GOOST |
| der September | September | sep-TEM-ber |
| der Oktober | October | ok-TOH-ber |
| der November | November | no-VEM-ber |
| der Dezember | December | deh-TSEM-ber |
Example sentences with months
Example: Using Months in Context
- Aschenputtel hat im Januar Geburtstag. = Cinderella has her birthday in January.
- Im Februar feiert man Karneval. = In February people celebrate carnival.
- Im Mai feiert man Muttertag. = In May people celebrate Mother's Day.
- Ende Juni gibt es Examen an der Uni. = At the end of June there are exams at university.
Notice how each example uses im (in + dem) before the month name.
Using prepositions with months
When talking about something happening in a particular month, you use the preposition im (in + dem) before the month name. This is different from English, where we simply say "in January."
Critical Grammar Rule: im + Month Never use "in" directly with months in German. Always use im which is the contraction of "in + dem". This is one of the most common mistakes learners make!
Basic rule: im + month
- im Januar = in January
- im Februar = in February
- im März = in March
For specific dates: am + ordinal number
When mentioning a specific date, use am with ordinal numbers:
| German date | English translation |
|---|---|
| am ersten Januar | on the first of January |
| am vierzehnten Februar | on the fourteenth of February |
| am dritten März | on the third of March |
| am vierten April | on the fourth of April |
| am fünften Mai | on the fifth of May |
Example: Using Specific Dates
- Bashful hat am 14. Februar Geburtstag. = Bashful has his birthday on the 14th of February.
- Am 4. Juli feiert man in Amerika den Unabhängigkeitstag. = On the 4th of July people celebrate Independence Day in America.
Note the pattern: am + ordinal number + month name
The four seasons (Die vier Jahreszeiten)
German has four distinct seasons, each with their own characteristics and activities. Note that spring has two common names.
| German | English | Months included |
|---|---|---|
| der Winter | winter | Dezember, Januar, Februar |
| das Frühjahr/der Frühling | spring | März, April, Mai |
| der Sommer | summer | Juni, Juli, August |
| der Herbst | autumn/fall | September, Oktober, November |
Two Words for Spring German uniquely has two equally correct words for spring:
- das Frühjahr (more formal, neuter gender)
- der Frühling (more common in everyday speech, masculine gender)
Both can be used interchangeably!
Using prepositions with seasons
Just like with months, use im when talking about activities in a particular season:
- im Winter = in winter
- im Frühjahr/im Frühling = in spring
- im Sommer = in summer
- im Herbst = in autumn
Example: Seasons in Action
- Im Winter fahren viele Schlossbewohner nach Bayern. = In winter many castle residents travel to Bavaria.
- Im Frühjahr geht Rotkäppchen in den Wald. = In spring Little Red Riding Hood goes into the forest.
- Im Sommer reisen die Brüder Wolf nach England. = In summer the Wolf brothers travel to England.
- Im Herbst gehen alle Schlossbewohner fast jedes Wochenende wandern. = In autumn all castle residents go hiking almost every weekend.
German festivals and celebrations throughout the year
Understanding when Germans celebrate different festivals helps you connect with the culture and practise using months in context.
| Month | Festival/Celebration | German description |
|---|---|---|
| Februar | Karneval | besonders in Köln und Düsseldorf |
| März/April | Ostern | Easter celebrations |
| Mai | Muttertag, Tag der Arbeit | Mother's Day, Labour Day |
| Juli | (verschiedene Sommerfeste) | various summer festivals |
| September | Oktoberfest | das große Oktoberfest in München |
| Oktober | Tag der deutschen Einheit | German Unity Day |
| November | (Martinstag) | St. Martin's Day |
| Dezember | Weihnachtsmärkte | Christmas markets everywhere |
| 6. Dezember | Nikolaustag | St. Nicholas Day |
| 24.-26. Dezember | Weihnachten | Christmas |
| 31. Dezember | Silvester | New Year's Eve |
Cultural Context for Learning Connecting months to German festivals makes vocabulary more memorable. Oktoberfest actually starts in September, and Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) are a huge part of German December culture!
Cultural context sentences
Example: Festivals and Dates in German
- Ende September gibt es das große Oktoberfest in München. = At the end of September there's the big Oktoberfest in Munich.
- Am 3. Oktober feiert man in Deutschland den Tag der deutschen Einheit. = On 3rd October people celebrate German Unity Day in Germany.
- Im Dezember gibt es überall Weihnachtsmärkte. = In December there are Christmas markets everywhere.
Translation practice
Translation Practice
German to English:
- Ich habe im Juli Geburtstag. = I have my birthday in July.
- Im Winter gehe ich gern Ski fahren. = In winter I like to go skiing.
English to German:
- In spring the flowers bloom. = Im Frühling blühen die Blumen.
- Christmas is in December. = Weihnachten ist im Dezember.
Common mistakes & tips
Common Errors to Avoid
-
Wrong preposition: Don't use "in" directly - always use im with months and seasons
- ❌ in Januar
- ✅ im Januar
-
Article confusion: Remember that months are masculine (der), but seasons vary
- Months: der Januar, der Februar, etc.
- Seasons: der Winter, der Sommer, der Herbst, BUT das Frühjahr
-
Date format: When writing dates, use ordinal numbers with am
- ❌ am eins Januar
- ✅ am ersten Januar
-
Spring confusion: German has two words for spring - both are correct
- das Frühjahr (more formal)
- der Frühling (more common in everyday speech)
Memory Tips for Success
- Link months to familiar festivals (Dezember = Weihnachten)
- Remember im sounds like "in" - use it for months and seasons
- Think of seasonal activities to remember when seasons occur
- Practice with German cultural events to make learning more engaging
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Use im + month name to say "in [month]" (im Januar, im Mai)
- Use am + ordinal number for specific dates (am ersten Mai)
- Use im + season name to say "in [season]" (im Winter, im Sommer)
- All months are masculine (der), but seasons have different genders
- German spring can be called das Frühjahr or der Frühling - both are correct
- Connect months to German festivals and cultural events for better memorisation