German Work and Business Vocabulary
Feierabend has no direct English translation. It literally combines Feier (celebration) and Abend (evening), but it actually means the moment the workday ends and your own time genuinely begins.
work / job
profession
company
office
colleague (m)
colleague (f)
boss (m)
boss (f)
meeting
salary
job application
resume / CV
appointment
project
contract
customer (m)
to work
Why Feierabend Is More Than Quitting Time
English 'quitting time' just marks a clock reading. Feierabend marks a mental shift - in German work culture, it signals a real, often firmly respected boundary between being a 'productive worker' and being a private individual again.
Schönen Feierabend: A Phrase You'll Actually Hear
Colleagues commonly say Schönen Feierabend! ('Have a nice Feierabend!') at the end of the workday, the same way English speakers might say 'have a good evening' - except the German phrase specifically celebrates the transition away from work, not just the evening itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Feierabend actually mean?+
The moment the workday ends and personal time begins - not just a clock time, but a cultural concept of leaving work behind. There's no single-word English equivalent.
What's a common Feierabend phrase?+
Schönen Feierabend! ('Have a nice Feierabend!') - commonly said to colleagues at the end of the workday.
Is Feierabend a real German word or slang?+
It's a standard, widely used word, not slang - found in any German dictionary, though the concept it captures doesn't map cleanly onto a single English word.
How do I practice this work and business vocabulary?+
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