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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Zoch

If you live in Germany's Rhine Region, chances are you've heard this word on Monday.

Published: 12 February 2024 16:16 CET
German word of the day: Zoch
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Why do I need to know Zoch?

Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) marks the highlight of the German carnival season. If you’re taking part in the colourful celebrations then you’ve spotted several of these travelling through the streets.

READ ALSO: The calls you’ll hear at Carnival – and what they mean

What does it mean?

Many German cities celebrate Karneval (carnival), but Cologne is known for the most splendid celebration of all. “Zoch” means “Zug” in Cologne’s regional dialect, which is “train” or “procession” in standard German.

So… “Der Zoch kütt” literally means “the carnival procession is coming!”

Zoch

A ‘Zoch’ taking place in Cologne on Monday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Oliver Berg

Rose Monday falls directly before Shrove Tuesday, historically making it the last chance for Christians to celebrate before Lent. Today it remains a huge public holiday in the Rhineland region, where “Zoch” has been used to refer to Cologne’s carnival parades since the 19th century. 

The Cologne Zoch is often more than six kilometers long, with people coming from all over the country to take part. Monday’s Mega-Zoch in the Cathedral City was even estimated to span 8.5 kilometres. It’s made up of marchers, bands, floats, professional performers and the general public. 

The cities of Düsseldorf and Mainz also have big parades for the end of carnival season, but here the Zoch might be called the Rosenmontagszug instead. The rivalry between Cologne’s procession and others is significant, so details matter!

How can I use it?

Der Kölner Rosenmontagszoch ist der größte in der Region.

The Cologne carnival procession is the biggest in the region.

Schau dir den Zoch an!

Look at the parade!

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Sommerschnee

Though you're unlikely to see much snow in summer, this German word describes something that looks just like it.

Published: 14 May 2024 16:20 CEST
German word of the day: Sommerschnee

Why do I need to know Sommerschnee?

Because this rather adorable word describes a truly delightful part of late spring and early summer in Germany, and your German friends will be very impressed you know the nickname for it. 

What does it mean?

Though you may be tempted to take the word literally, Sommerschnee (pronounced like this) actually has nothing to do with a bout of cold weather in the warmer months. 

Instead, summer snow is a romantic way to talk about a soft, white, featherlight substance you may see floating around the streets or catching a stray sunbeam in a park in summer.

This Sommerschnee is actually closer to wool, and it’s often referred to as Pappelwolle (poplar wool), Pappelschnee (poplar snow) or Pappelflaum (poplar fluff) since it originates on poplar trees.

READ ALSO: Nine expressions that perfectly sum up spring in Germany

So, why do poplar trees produce this strange, ethereal substance? Well, it’s primarily way of transporting the seeds of the poplar, ensuring that they’re carried on the wind as far as possible. With a casing of white fluff protecting the seeds, they can move much further on a summer breeze, or Lüftchen.

In the later months of spring in particular, Sommerschnee becomes an inextricable part of the natural scenery in Germany, with tiny flakes sailing in the sunshine and occasionally coating the streets with a light dusting of summery snow. 

Summer snow in Germany

A cyclist rides along a country lane covered in ‘summer snow’ in Lower Saxony. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Julian Stratenschulte

Anything else I should know about Sommerschnee?

If you think this soft, wool-like material looks cosy enough to sleep in, you’re spot on: poplar wool is even used as a filling in duvets these days.

Jens-Gerrit Eisfeld was the visionary who first discovered this use for Sommerschnee, and he created a special machine that separates the seeds from the cellulose fibres of the wool, making a perfect, moisture-absorbent and heat-resistant bedding. 

And humans aren’t the only ones to make good use of Sommerschnee in the home: some species of bird are also partial to poplar wool for building their nests. One charming example of this is the marsupial tit, which builds beautiful cocoons out of Sommerschnee that hang high up in birch trees. 

If you tend to get allergies, you’ll also be pleased to know that this fluffy substance won’t get up your nose – though the pollen that the poplars produce this time of year may well be a different story. 

READ ASLO: German word of the day – Frühlingsmüdigkeit

Use it like this: 

Ich liebe diese Jahreszeit, wann alles grün ist und den Sommerschnee erscheint. 

I love this time of year, when everything is green and the summer snow appears.

Sommerschnee ist wirklich wunderschön, auch in der Großstadt. 

Summer snow is really beautiful, even in the big city.

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