German Language Day

Although German Language Day isn’t observed in Germany as a public holiday, it is a holiday that honors the German language and encourages the spread both in Germany and around the world. This holiday is observed on the second Saturday in September and celebrates a language that is spoken by over 130-million people in the world.

It’s a language that’s widely spoken in the European Union and according to popular statistics, approximately 10% of all books are published in the German Language.  This is a great holiday to spread the word about this language, to learn more about its history, or for non-speakers to take the time to learn it.

Interesting Facts About The German Language

If there’s one thing that this holiday should highlight, it’s the fact that German is a language with a rich and storied history. To prove that point, we’ve listed some of the interesting facts about this language below that we hope everyone finds interesting.

  • German is the 11th most widely spoken language in the world.
  • German is the official language for 5 countries in the European Union.
  • It’s also a minority language in a large number of countries including Brazil, Switzerland, and the U.S
  • German has a lot of compound words.
  • The Brothers Grimm wrote the first detailed German dictionary.
  • In a 2004 survey sent out by the German Language Council, Habseligkeiten was voted the most beautiful German word.
  • The German language has 3-genders: feminine, masculine, and neuter.

Observing German Language Day

German Language Day is a day for people to learn more about this language and to teach others about it around the world. In Germany, it’s not a public holiday, so businesses operate according to normal business hours. People can spread the word about this holiday by using the hashtags #GermanLanguageDay or #TagDerDeutschenSprache on social media.

Where is it celebrated?
Germany (Observance)
When is it?
This year (2023)
September 9 Saturday
Next year (2024)
September 14 Saturday
Last year (2022)
September 10 Saturday