German Advent word of the day: Die Vorfreude
If you can't wait for Christmas to arrive then this German word should be part of your vocabulary.
It's an ideal word to know in the Advent time so that you can perfectly sum up the excitement and longing you feel before Christmas Day.
What does it mean?
The noun “die Vorfreude” is put together by “vor” (before) and “Freude” (joy) and means prejoy or joyful anticipation.
This anticipation is an intense emotion that you feel for an upcoming occasion or something that you are awaiting or expecting.
Germans mostly associate “Vorfreude” with the anticipation you feel before Christmas.
Often, “Vorfreude” is characterized as a childish anticipation, because children are almost always overwhelmed by eagerness and yearning for Christmas Day.
But this joyful anticipation is not only about excitement, it also takes in tenseness, impatience and curiosity.
To make the time before Christmas easier for children to get through, the Advent time is often accompanied by an Advent calander.
READ ALSO: Why are Christmas markets in Germany opening so early this year?
A child opening an Advent kalender to make the waiting for Christmas a sweeter experience, Photo: DPA
Overall, this anticipation becomes over-excitement and nervousness in the days just before Christmas, the eagerness for knowing how many presents there will be, the longing for opening them, and the curiosity of what will be inside them.
This tense expectation is of course not only experienced by children but by anyone who is excited for something that they are desperately awaiting to finally come.
Examples
“Die Vorfreude steigt bei den Kinder immer mehr, desto näher der Weihnachtstag rückt.”
"The joyful anticipation of the children rises more and more, the closer Christmas Day comes."
“Die Vorfreude ist die beste Freude.”
“Joyful anticipation is the best joy.”
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It's an ideal word to know in the Advent time so that you can perfectly sum up the excitement and longing you feel before Christmas Day.
What does it mean?
The noun “die Vorfreude” is put together by “vor” (before) and “Freude” (joy) and means prejoy or joyful anticipation.
This anticipation is an intense emotion that you feel for an upcoming occasion or something that you are awaiting or expecting.
Germans mostly associate “Vorfreude” with the anticipation you feel before Christmas.
Often, “Vorfreude” is characterized as a childish anticipation, because children are almost always overwhelmed by eagerness and yearning for Christmas Day.
But this joyful anticipation is not only about excitement, it also takes in tenseness, impatience and curiosity.
To make the time before Christmas easier for children to get through, the Advent time is often accompanied by an Advent calander.
READ ALSO: Why are Christmas markets in Germany opening so early this year?
A child opening an Advent kalender to make the waiting for Christmas a sweeter experience, Photo: DPA
Overall, this anticipation becomes over-excitement and nervousness in the days just before Christmas, the eagerness for knowing how many presents there will be, the longing for opening them, and the curiosity of what will be inside them.
This tense expectation is of course not only experienced by children but by anyone who is excited for something that they are desperately awaiting to finally come.
Examples
“Die Vorfreude steigt bei den Kinder immer mehr, desto näher der Weihnachtstag rückt.”
"The joyful anticipation of the children rises more and more, the closer Christmas Day comes."
“Die Vorfreude ist die beste Freude.”
“Joyful anticipation is the best joy.”
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