der Januar
January
The first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar.
EXAMPLE
Im Januar ist es in Deutschland oft sehr kalt.
In January, it is often very cold in Germany.
der Januar
January
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Meanings
Usage tips
Correct preposition
To express that something happens in the month of January, German uses the preposition 'im' (in dem). The article 'der' is then no longer needed.
EXAMPLE
Im Januar hat meine Schwester Geburtstag.
My sister has her birthday in January.
Specifying a time
To name a specific part of the month, you can put 'Anfang' (beginning), 'Mitte' (middle), or 'Ende' (end) directly before 'Januar' (January), without any preposition. The word 'Januar' is not declined in this case.
EXAMPLE
Die Ergebnisse werden Mitte Januar bekannt gegeben.
The results will be announced in mid-January.
Regional variant
In Austria and parts of southern Germany, the word 'der Jänner' is also very common instead of 'Januar' (January). Both words mean exactly the same thing.
EXAMPLE
In Österreich beginnen die Semesterferien oft erst im Jänner.
In Austria, the semester break often doesn't begin until January.
Compare with
Januar vs Jänner
January
Januar and Jänner refer to the same first month of the year. The difference is regional: Jänner is used mainly in Austria and South Tyrol, while Januar is used in the rest of the German-speaking world. When writing and speaking, choose the form according to the region your text is intended for.
Januar
Im Januar beginnt für viele Menschen ein neues Arbeitsjahr.
For many people, a new working year begins in January.
Jänner
Im Jänner beginnt für viele Menschen ein neues Arbeitsjahr.
For many people, a new working year begins in January.
In real life
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