My First Christmas in Berlin: Talking About Holidays and Festivals (Plus Past Tense!)

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin, and honestly, I still feel like I’m just learning the ropes. It’s amazing, of course – the city is incredible, the food is fantastic (sauerbraten is a game changer!), and the people are…well, some are trying really hard to be friendly! But language, phew, language is a beast. I’m specifically struggling with talking about holidays and festivals, and I realized I need to get better at remembering how to talk about the past. It keeps tripping me up.

The Christmas Market Confusion

The first big hurdle was, predictably, the Christmas markets. I walked into one last weekend – the Weihnachtsmarkt am Roten Rathaus – and I wanted to buy a Glühwein (mulled wine). I wanted to be polite, you know, ask how much it was. I opened my mouth and blurted out, “Wie viel kostet das?” – I meant “How much does this cost?” but I accidentally said “das” (this) with so much emphasis. The vendor, a really nice older man, just stared at me, completely bewildered. A young girl nearby giggled, and I realized I’d probably butchered the entire sentence.

He finally pointed to the Glühwein and said, “Das kostet fünf Euro.” (This costs five euros.) I mumbled a “Danke” and bought it, feeling completely mortified. Later, a friend explained that I should have said, “Wie viel kostet der Glühwein?” (How much does the Glühwein cost?) – using “der” (the) is much more natural when referring to a specific item. It’s little things like that that really throw me.

Talking About Past Festivals – The Erinnerung Problem

But the bigger issue is the past tense. I keep getting the Präteritum (simple past) and the Perfekt (present perfect) mixed up. The Präteritum is what I learned in school back home, and it feels…right, somehow. In the Perfekt, I have to use “haben” (to have) – like, “Ich habe die Karnevalsparty besucht” (I have attended the carnival party). It just feels wrong.

My colleague, Klaus, patiently explained it to me. He said, “Think of it this way: the Perfekt is what we use now to talk about experiences that have happened recently or that still have an effect on the present. The Präteritum is more like a recorded history – something that’s finished.”

He gave me an example: “Gestern Abend habe ich einen Film gesehen.” (Yesterday evening I watched a movie.) – A perfectly acceptable Perfekt sentence. Then he asked me, “Und was hast du heute gemacht?” (And what did you do today?). I immediately wanted to say “Ich hatte heute einen Kaffee getrunken” (I had today drunk a coffee!), but Klaus gently corrected me, “Nein, nein! Du sagst: ‘Ich habe heute Kaffee getrunken.’” It’s frustrating, but I’m starting to get it.

My Family’s Fasstnacht Story

Last week, I was trying to explain Fasnacht (Carnival) to my flatmate, Lena. It’s a huge deal here in the Rhineland, and I wanted to tell her about my family’s traditions. I stumbled through a description, using the Präteritum constantly: “Meine Grosseltern hatten in der Fasnacht ein Kostüm.” (My grandparents had a costume for Carnival). Lena looked at me patiently, and then said, “Seriously? You haben ein Kostüm gehabt?” (Seriously? You had a costume?) She explained that in the Rhineland, you use the Perfekt to talk about past events. It really highlighted the regional variations – language is so dependent on where you are!

Useful Phrases for Talking About Holidays

Here are a few phrases I’m trying to memorize:

• “Wie haben Sie den Tag/die Nacht verbracht?” (How did you spend the day/night?) – Useful for asking about someone’s holiday experiences.
• “Ich habe den Tag am Strand verbracht.” (I spent the day at the beach.) – Perfekt again!
• “Letztes Jahr haben wir Weihnachten in Bayern gefeiert.” (Last year we celebrated Christmas in Bavaria.) – Perfekt for describing past events.
• “Ich erinnere mich…” (I remember…) – Great for setting the scene before talking about a past event.

Moving Forward (Hopefully!)

I know I’m going to keep making mistakes. It’s part of the process. But I’m determined to keep practicing, keep asking questions, and keep listening. I’m even starting a little journal to write down my conversations and the corrections I receive. Maybe one day, I’ll be confidently discussing my favourite Christmas markets and festivals without a single “das” thrown in for good measure! Bis bald (See you soon)!