habit
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habit
An action or behavior that becomes routine through frequent repetition and often happens unconsciously.
Er hat die schlechte Gewohnheit, beim Reden ständig mit dem Stift zu klicken.
He has the bad habit of constantly clicking his pen while talking.
out of habit
Describes an action that is performed only because one always does it that way, not because of a conscious decision.
Sie trinkt ihren Kaffee morgens aus reiner Gewohnheit, auch wenn er ihr gar nicht schmeckt.
She drinks her coffee in the morning purely out of habit, even though she doesn't even like it.
customs / habits
Used in the plural to describe the typical customs, traditions, and behaviors of a particular social group or culture.
Als Tourist sollte man sich über die Gewohnheiten und Traditionen des Gastlandes informieren.
As a tourist, you should learn about the habits and traditions of the host country.
The word 'Gewohnheit' (habit) is closely related to the verb 'sich an etwas gewöhnen' (to get used to something). So a habit is something you have become so used to that it happens automatically.
Es dauert eine Weile, sich an das neue Betriebssystem zu gewöhnen.
It takes a while to get used to the new operating system.
Common verbs are 'eine Gewohnheit haben' (to have a habit), 'eine Gewohnheit annehmen' (to adopt a habit), or 'eine Gewohnheit ablegen/aufgeben' (to drop/give up a habit). Things can also 'zur Gewohnheit werden' (become a habit).
Ich möchte meine schlechte Gewohnheit, zu lange aufzubleiben, endlich ablegen.
I finally want to drop my bad habit of staying up too late.
The expression 'aus Gewohnheit' (out of habit) functions like an adverb in a sentence and explains why someone does something. It is often intensified with 'rein' (purely): 'aus reiner Gewohnheit' (purely out of habit).
Er griff aus reiner Gewohnheit zum Telefon, obwohl er niemanden anrufen wollte.
He reached for the phone purely out of habit, even though he didn't want to call anyone.
In the plural ('die Gewohnheiten'), the word often does not refer to personal routines, but rather to the typical customs and traditions of a culture or social group.
Auf Reisen lerne ich gerne die lokalen Gewohnheiten kennen.
When traveling, I like to get to know the local customs.
custom
Brauch and Gewohnheit can both refer to an action that is repeated regularly. Brauch refers to a tradition handed down within a community, whereas Gewohnheit can also mean a personal or everyday routine. When referring to a region or group, use Brauch; when referring to an individual, Gewohnheit is usually the better choice.
Für mich ist es eine Gewohnheit, zum Jahreswechsel mit meiner Familie zu essen.
For me, it is a habit to eat with my family at the turn of the year.
In unserer Region ist es Brauch, zum Jahreswechsel gemeinsam zu essen.
In our region, it is customary to eat together at the turn of the year.
