die  Feier

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈfaɪɐ/

🎉 What is "die Feier"?

Die Feier (noun, feminine) generally refers to a festive event or a gathering for a specific occasion, where people celebrate. It can be a private occasion like a birthday or wedding, but also a public or official event like an anniversary, inauguration, or commemoration.

• Private Feier: A party among friends or family (e.g., Geburtstagsfeier - birthday party, Grillfeier - barbecue party).
• Public/Official Feier: An organized event for a special occasion (e.g., Jubiläumsfeier - anniversary celebration, a company's Weihnachtsfeier - Christmas party, Gedenkfeier - commemoration ceremony).
• Ceremony: It can also refer to a more formal ceremony or festive act (e.g., the official Feier for the Day of German Unity).

Essentially, a Feier is about marking a special moment together and expressing joy, remembrance, or recognition.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Feier

The word "Feier" is a feminine noun. The article is die.

Declension:

Singular

Plural

Example Sentences

• Die Feier zum Geburtstag war ein großer Erfolg. (The birthday celebration was a great success.)
• Wir planen eine kleine Feier im Garten. (We are planning a small party in the garden.)
• Der Bürgermeister sprach bei der offiziellen Feier. (The mayor spoke at the official ceremony.)
• Nach bestandener Prüfung gab es eine ausgelassene Feier. (After passing the exam, there was a boisterous celebration.)
• Viele Firmen organisieren Weihnachtsfeiern für ihre Mitarbeiter. (Many companies organize Christmas parties for their employees.)

💡 How to Use "die Feier"

"Die Feier" is a very common word in German and is used in many contexts.

• Contexts: Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, company events, religious festivals (indirectly, one usually talks about the Fest itself, but there is a Feier), passed exams, inaugurations, farewells, etc.
• Typical Verbs: eine Feier veranstalten (to organize/host a celebration), eine Feier geben (to give/throw a party), eine Feier organisieren (to organize a celebration), zu einer Feier einladen (to invite to a celebration), an einer Feier teilnehmen (to attend a celebration), eine Feier feiern (to celebrate a celebration - the verb "feiern" means to celebrate).
• Distinction:
  • Fest: Often larger, more traditional, or more public than a private Feier (e.g., Oktoberfest, Stadtfest - city festival). A Feier can be part of a Fest.
  • Party: More informal, often with music and dancing, usually in a private setting. A Party is a type of Feier.
  • Veranstaltung: More general term for an organized event, which doesn't have to be festive (e.g., conference, concert). A Feier is a type of Veranstaltung.
  • Feiertag: A public holiday, a day off work (e.g., Christmas, Easter). Feiern often take place on Feiertage.

You can also hear "Feier machen", which is colloquial for "feiern" (to celebrate) or "Party machen" (to party).

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Feier"

Article Mnemonic: Think of many things associated with celebrations that are feminine in German: die Party, die Musik (music), die Torte (cake), die Freude (joy). So, it's also die Feier.

Meaning Mnemonic: "Feier" sounds a bit like the English word "fire". Imagine people dancing happily around a bonfire – that's a real Feier (celebration)!

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "die Feier"

Similar, but different words:

• Feiertag: Public holiday (e.g., May 1st)
• Feierabend: End of the workday

😂 A Little Joke about a Feier

German: Fragt der eine Gast den anderen auf der Party: "Findest du nicht auch, dass die Gastgeberin etwas komisch aussieht?"
Antwortet der andere: "Das ist der Spiegel."

English: One guest asks another at the party: "Don't you think the hostess looks a bit strange?"
The other replies: "That's the mirror."

✍️ Poem about a Feier

German:
Die Gläser klingen, Musik schallt,
die Feier lockt, ob jung, ob alt.
Man lacht, man tanzt, die Zeit vergeht,
bis spät der letzte Gast erst geht.
Ein Anlass schön, ein froher Kreis,
das ist der Feier schönster Preis.

English Translation:
The glasses clink, music resounds,
the celebration calls, young and old abound.
They laugh, they dance, time flies away,
'til late the last guest ends their stay.
A lovely cause, a joyful round,
that is the celebration's finest ground.

❓ Little Riddle

German:
Ich bringe Menschen gern zusamm',
ob Hochzeit, Fest or Telegramm,
mit Kuchen, Tanz und Heiterkeit,
vertreib' ich Kummer, Sorg und Leid.
Mal laut, mal leis, mal groß, mal klein,
was kann ich wohl nur sein?

Lösung: die Feier

English Translation:
I like to bring people together,
be it wedding, fest, or whatever,
with cake, and dance, and cheerfulness,
I banish sorrow, worry, stress.
Sometimes loud, sometimes low, sometimes big, sometimes small,
what could I possibly be?

Solution: die Feier (the celebration/party)

📚 More about Feier

Compound Words: "Feier" is part of many compound nouns that specify the occasion:

• Geburtstagsfeier (birthday party)
• Hochzeitsfeier (wedding celebration)
• Weihnachtsfeier (Christmas party)
• Abschiedsfeier (farewell party)
• Jubiläumsfeier (anniversary celebration)
• Einweihungsfeier (housewarming/inauguration party)
• Siegesfeier (victory celebration)

Etymology: The word comes from Middle High German "vīre" and Old High German "fīra", which in turn derives from the Latin "feria" (festival day, day of rest). This also explains the connection to "Feiertag" (public holiday) and "Feierabend" (end of the workday).