German word

Herbst

Pronunciation

IPA/hɛʁpst/

Meaning

  • masculine nounautumn

Example

Wir freuen uns auf den Herbst.

We are looking forward to autumn.

Illustration for Herbst (autumn)

More examples

Der Herbstanfang ist oft kühl.

The start of autumn is often cool.

Core concept

A cool season of shortening days, fading leaves, and approaching winter.

Common phrases

  • Herbstanfang

    start of autumn

  • im Herbst

    in autumn

Similar words

Sommer: The warm season with long days and pleasant weather for outdoor activities.
Winter: The cold season with low temperatures and frequent snow or ice.
Frühling: The season when temperatures rise and flowers and leaves start to appear.
Jahreszeit: One of the periods into which the year is divided.

Definition in German

Die Jahreszeit mit kürzeren Tagen, kühlerem Klima und dem Vergilben der Blätter.

Word origin

Herbst comes from Old High German herbist and is related to English harvest, reflecting an earlier meaning of harvest time.

Usage tips

  • Herbst is masculine, so the standard phrase is im Herbst, with the dative form of der Herbst.

Opposites

Related words

  • Herbstbeginnbeginning of autumnnoun
  • herbstlichautumnaladjective

Word lists with this word