This popular German Christmas carol dates back to the 19th century. This version is performed by Russian-born German singer and Schlager star Helene Fischer.
This is a pretty simple song and doesn’t leave much to go over, aside from a few examples of the diminutive form and one phrase.
‘sich daran erlaben’ – Literally translating as ‘to refresh oneself it it’, this phrase means ‘to enjoy something’ or ‘to take pleasure in something’.
Diminutives – The diminutive form in German is achieved by adding ‘-chen’ or ‘-lein’ to the original word. Often, an umlaut is also added. All diminutives are neuter and no suffix is added to the plural form. Below are the diminutives we see in ths song:
Glöckchen
Glöcke (pl Glöcken)
(little) bell
Mädchen
Magd (pl Mägde)
girl
Bübchen
Bub (pl Buben)
boy, lad
Stübchen
Stube (pl Stuben)
(little) room
Yes, you may not realize it since it is such a commonly used German word, but Mädchen is indeed a diminutive form, which is why it’s neuter instead of feminine. It comes from ‘die Magd’ meaning ‘maid’ or ‘female servant’, but the “g” is lost with the formation of the diminutive. This term also has archaic meanings of ‘virgin’ and ‘girl’ or ‘young woman’.
Activities
We’ve created flashcards, games, and exercises to practice vocabulary and grammatical concepts found in this song. Check out our Activities Page to take your learning further!
Song Lyrics with Grammatical Breakdown
Mouse over a term for grammatical information. A chart of the terms and grammatical information can be found here.
[Verse 1] Klingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingelingeling,klingelingelingringelingelingkling,klingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge) Lassteinlassento let in, to admit|verb, irreg|sec pers pl imperamichmichme, I|pron|acc of ich (first pers sing)eineinlassento let in, to admit|verb, irreg|prefix of sep verbihrihryou|pron|sec pers pl, nomKinder,Kind (pl Kinder)child, kid; baby, infant|noun|neut plistseinto be|verb, irreg|third pers sing pressososo; as; like this/that|advkaltkaltcold|adjderderthe|art, def|nom masc, gen and dat fem, gen plWinterWinter (pl Winter)winter|noun|masc sing Öffnetöffnento open|verb, reg|sec pers pl imperamirmirme, to me|pron|dat of ich (first pers sing)diediethe|art, def|nom and acc fem sing and plTüren,Tür (pl Türen)door, doorway|noun|fem pllasstlassento let, allow, permit; to have something done; to leave, let remain; to stop, quit; cease, desist|verb, irreg|sec pers pl imperamichmichme, I|pron|acc of ich (first pers sing)nichtnichtnot|adverfrierenerfrierento freeze to death|verb, irreg|infin Klingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingelingeling,klingelingelingringelingelingkling,klingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)
[Verse 2] Klingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingelingeling,klingelingelingringelingelingkling,klingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge) MädchenMädchen (pl Mädchengirl; daughter|noun|neut plhörthörento hear, listen to|verb, reg|sec pers pl imperaundundand|conjBübchen,Bub (pl Buben)boy, lad|noun|masc sing|dimin formmachtaufmachento open, undo, loosen; open up; feature; put up, hang up; open the door|verb, reg|sec pers pl imperamirmirme, to me|pron|dat of ich (first pers sing)aufaufmachento open, undo, loosen; open up; feature; put up, hang up; open the door;|verb, reg|prefix of sep verbdasdasthe|art, def|nom and acc neut singStübchenStube (pl Stuben)(little) room|noun|neut sing|dimin form Bring’bringento bring, get; take|verb, reg|first pers sing pres (bringe)eucheuchyou, yourselves|pron|acc and dat of ihr (sec pers pl)mildemildemild, gentle; lenient; merciful|adj|mostly obsoleteGaben,Gabe (pl Gaben)gift, present; donation|noun|fem plsolltsollenbe supposed to, should|verb, mod|sec pers pl preseucheuchyou, yourselves|pron|acc and dat of ihr (sec pers pl)drandaranon it/that, against it/that, next to it/that, to it/that, at it/that|adverlabenerlabento invigorate, refresh|verb, reg|infin|sich daran erlaben - to enjoy sth, to take pleasure in sth Klingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingelingeling,klingelingelingringelingelingkling,klingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)
[Verse 3] Klingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingelingeling,klingelingelingringelingelingkling,klingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge) Hellhellbrightly|adverglüh’nerglühento glow, burn|verb, reg|first and third pers pl presdiediethe|art, def|nom and acc fem sing and plKerzen,Kerze (pl Kerzen)candle|noun|fem plöffnetöffnento open|verb, reg|sec pers pl imperamirmirme, to me|pron|dat of ich (first pers sing)diediethe|art, def|nom and acc fem sing and plHerzenHerz (pl Herzen)heart|noun|neut pl Willwollento want|verb, mod|first and third pers sing presdrindrinin it|advwohnenwohnento live, reside, stay|verb, reg|infinfröhlich,fröhlichmerrily, happily|advfrommesfrommreligious, devout, good, pious|adjKindKind (pl Kinder)child, kid; baby, infant|noun|neut singwiewiehow|advseligseligblessed; overjoyed, blissful, merry|adj Klingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingelingeling,klingelingelingringelingelingkling,klingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)
[Outro] Klingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingelingeling,klingelingelingringelingelingkling,klingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)Glöckchen,Glöcke (pl Glöcken)(little) bell|noun|neut sing|dimin formklingklingento sound, ring, clink, clang|verb, irreg|sec pers sing impera (klinge)
Lyrics with Translation
Songs in any language often leave room for multiple interpretations. Following is my interpretation of the song lyrics.
Kling Glöckchen, klingelingeling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling
[Verse 1] Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Glöckchen, kling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, ring, little bell, ring Lasst mich ein, ihr Kinder, ist so kalt der Winter Let me in, you children, the winter is so cold Öffnet mir die Türen, lasst mich nicht erfrieren Open the doors for me, don’t let me freeze to death Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Glöckchen, kling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, ring, little bell, ring
[Verse 2] Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Glöckchen, kling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, ring, little bell, ring Mädchen hört und Bübchen, macht mir auf das Stübchen Little girls, listen, and little boys, open the little room for me Bring’ euch milde Gaben, sollt euch dran erlaben I’m bringing you mild gifts, you should enjoy them Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Glöckchen, kling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, ring, little bell, ring
[Verse 3] Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Glöckchen, kling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, ring, little bell, ring Hell erglüh’n die Kerzen, öffnet mir die Herzen The candles glow brightly, open your hearts for me Will drin wohnen fröhlich, frommes Kind, wie selig I want to live there happily, devout child, how blessed Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Glöckchen, kling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, ring, little bell, ring
[Outro] Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Glöckchen, kling Ring, little bell, ringalingaling, ring, little bell, ring
Grammatical Concepts Used in this Song
Accusative:
Lasst mich ein, ihr Kinder, ist so kalt der Winter
Öffnet mir die Türen, lasst mich nicht erfrieren
Mädchen hört und Bübchen, macht mir auf das Stübchen
Bring’ euch milde Gaben, sollt euch dran erlaben
Hell erglüh’n die Kerzen, öffnet mir die Herzen
Dative:
Öffnet mir die Türen, lasst mich nicht erfrieren
Mädchen hört und Bübchen, macht mir auf das Stübchen
Bring’ euch milde Gaben, sollt euch dran erlaben
Hell erglüh’n die Kerzen, öffnet mir die Herzen
Irregular: einlassen, lasst, ist
Lat mich ein, ihr Kinder, ist so kalt der Winter
Modal Verbs:
Bring’ euch milde Gaben, sollt euch dran erlaben
Will drin wohnen fröhlich, frommes Kind, wie selig
Seperable Verbs:
Lasst mich ein, ihr Kinder, ist so kalt der Winter
Mädchen hört und Bübchen, macht mir auf das Stübchen
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