fröhlich
cheerful
Being in a cheerful and carefree mood; expressing joy and good spirits.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder sangen ein fröhliches Lied.
The children sang a cheerful song.
fröhlich
cheerful
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Meanings
fröhlich
merry
Describing a festive and joyful atmosphere, often used in fixed expressions and greetings for holidays.
EXAMPLE
Ich wünsche dir fröhliche Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr!
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Usage tips
Word family
'Fröhlich' (cheerful) belongs to the word family of 'froh' (glad) and 'die Freude' (joy). All of these words express a feeling of happiness and good spirits.
EXAMPLE
Er hat ein sehr fröhliches Wesen und lacht oft.
He has a very cheerful nature and laughs often.
Use as an adverb
'Fröhlich' (cheerful/cheerfully) can also be used as an adverb to describe how an action is performed. It then remains unchanged after the verb.
EXAMPLE
Die Vögel zwitscherten fröhlich am Morgen.
The birds chirped cheerfully in the morning.
Typical collocations
In its general meaning, 'fröhlich' (cheerful) often describes a mood or atmosphere. Common combinations are 'eine fröhliche Stimmung' (a cheerful atmosphere), 'ein fröhliches Lachen' (a cheerful laugh), or 'fröhliche Musik' (cheerful music).
EXAMPLE
Auf der Party herrschte eine fröhliche Stimmung.
There was a cheerful atmosphere at the party.
Fixed expressions
In the second meaning, 'fröhlich' (merry) occurs almost only in fixed holiday greetings. The best known are 'Fröhliche Weihnachten!' (Merry Christmas!) and 'Fröhliche Ostern!' (Happy Easter!).
EXAMPLE
Wir wünschen allen unseren Freunden fröhliche Ostern!
We wish all our friends a happy Easter!
Compare with
fröhlich vs glücklich
happy / lucky
Both words can describe a positive mood. „Fröhlich“ refers especially to visible cheerfulness and a good mood, while „glücklich“ expresses a personal, sometimes deeper feeling of well-being. „Fröhlich“ fits observable behavior, while „glücklich“ is more suitable for an inner state.
fröhlich
Auf dem Fest lachte sie viel und wirkte fröhlich.
She laughed a lot at the party and seemed cheerful.
glücklich
Sie sagt, dass sie mit ihrem neuen Leben glücklich ist.
She says that she is happy with her new life.
In real life
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