🎉 Festivals

⏱ 15 min read

In this lesson you will learn useful everyday English vocabulary and expressions for talking about festivals, cultural celebrations, parades, carnivals, traditions, music, food, and fireworks. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic Festival Vocabulary

🎉 Festival
a large public event with music, food, or shows
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Festival
🇫🇷 French: Festival
🇩🇪 German: Festival
🇮🇹 Italian: Festival
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Festival
🎊 Celebration
a special time to mark a happy occasion
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebración
🇫🇷 French: Célébration
🇩🇪 German: Feier / Feierlichkeit
🇮🇹 Italian: Celebrazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebração
🎭 Parade
a line of people and floats moving through the streets
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Desfile
🇫🇷 French: Défilé / Parade
🇩🇪 German: Parade / Umzug
🇮🇹 Italian: Sfilata / Parata
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Desfile / Parada
🎵 Music
songs and sounds people listen to or play
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Música
🇫🇷 French: Musique
🇩🇪 German: Musik
🇮🇹 Italian: Musica
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Música
💃 Dance
moving your body to music
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Baile
🇫🇷 French: Danse
🇩🇪 German: Tanz
🇮🇹 Italian: Ballo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dança
🎆 Fireworks
bright lights and noise shot into the sky
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fuegos artificiales
🇫🇷 French: Feux d'artifice
🇩🇪 German: Feuerwerk
🇮🇹 Italian: Fuochi d'artificio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fogos de artifício

🟡 Cultural Festival Vocabulary

🎪 Carnival
a colorful festival with costumes, music, and parades
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Carnaval
🇫🇷 French: Carnaval
🇩🇪 German: Karneval / Fasching
🇮🇹 Italian: Carnevale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Carnaval
🍲 Traditional food
dishes people have cooked for many years
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comida tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Cuisine traditionnelle
🇩🇪 German: Traditionelles Essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cibo tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comida tradicional
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Crowd
a large group of people in one place
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Multitud
🇫🇷 French: Foule
🇩🇪 German: Menge / Menschenmenge
🇮🇹 Italian: Folla
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Multidão
🎨 Costume
special clothes worn for a festival or play
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Disfraz
🇫🇷 French: Costume / Déguisement
🇩🇪 German: Kostüm
🇮🇹 Italian: Costume / Travestimento
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fantasia / Traje
⛪ Tradition
a custom people keep year after year
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tradición
🇫🇷 French: Tradition
🇩🇪 German: Tradition
🇮🇹 Italian: Tradizione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tradição
🌎 Culture
the ideas, arts, and customs of a group of people
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cultura
🇫🇷 French: Culture
🇩🇪 German: Kultur
🇮🇹 Italian: Cultura
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cultura

🎟️ Attending a Festival

🎟️ Ticket
a pass that lets you enter an event
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Entrada / Boleto
🇫🇷 French: Billet
🇩🇪 German: Ticket / Eintrittskarte
🇮🇹 Italian: Biglietto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ingresso / Bilhete
🚪 Entrance
the door or gate where you go in
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Entrada
🇫🇷 French: Entrée
🇩🇪 German: Eingang
🇮🇹 Italian: Ingresso
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Entrada
📅 Date
the day when the festival happens
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fecha
🇫🇷 French: Date
🇩🇪 German: Datum
🇮🇹 Italian: Data
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Data
⏰ Time
the hour when something starts
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Hora
🇫🇷 French: Heure
🇩🇪 German: Uhrzeit / Zeit
🇮🇹 Italian: Ora
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Hora
📍 Place / Location
where the festival happens
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Lugar
🇫🇷 French: Lieu / Endroit
🇩🇪 German: Ort / Standort
🇮🇹 Italian: Luogo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lugar / Local
🎤 Live music
music played by people in front of you
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Música en vivo
🇫🇷 French: Musique live
🇩🇪 German: Live-Musik
🇮🇹 Italian: Musica dal vivo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Música ao vivo

▶️ Festival Actions

🎊 To celebrate
to mark a special day with joy
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebrar
🇫🇷 French: Célébrer
🇩🇪 German: Feiern
🇮🇹 Italian: Celebrare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebrar
💃 To dance
to move to music
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Bailar
🇫🇷 French: Danser
🇩🇪 German: Tanzen
🇮🇹 Italian: Ballare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dançar
🎤 To sing
to make music with your voice
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cantar
🇫🇷 French: Chanter
🇩🇪 German: Singen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cantare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cantar
🎟️ To buy tickets
to pay so you can go to the festival
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comprar entradas / boletos
🇫🇷 French: Acheter des billets
🇩🇪 German: Tickets kaufen
🇮🇹 Italian: Comprare biglietti
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comprar ingressos / bilhetes
🎪 To attend
to go to an event and be there
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Asistir
🇫🇷 French: Assister
🇩🇪 German: Teilnehmen / Besuchen
🇮🇹 Italian: Partecipare / Assistere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Assistir / Participar
🎉 To have fun
to enjoy yourself
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Divertirse
🇫🇷 French: S'amuser
🇩🇪 German: Spaß haben
🇮🇹 Italian: Divertirsi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Divertir-se

🧠 Talking About Festivals

💡 Use go to to talk about going to a festival or celebration.
We're going to the festival this weekend.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Vamos al festival este fin de semana.
🇫🇷 Nous allons au festival ce week-end.
🇩🇪 Wir gehen dieses Wochenende zum Festival.
🇮🇹 Andiamo al festival questo fine settimana.
🇵🇹 Vamos ao festival neste fim de semana.
I'm going to the carnival with my friends.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Voy al carnaval con mis amigos.
🇫🇷 Je vais au carnaval avec mes amis.
🇩🇪 Ich gehe mit meinen Freunden zum Karneval.
🇮🇹 Vado al carnevale con i miei amici.
🇵🇹 Vou ao carnaval com meus amigos.
💡 Use celebrate to talk about celebrating a holiday, tradition, or special occasion.
We celebrate this tradition every year.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Celebramos esta tradición todos los años.
🇫🇷 Nous célébrons cette tradition tous les ans.
🇩🇪 Wir feiern diese Tradition jedes Jahr.
🇮🇹 Celebriamo questa tradizione ogni anno.
🇵🇹 Celebramos esta tradição todos os anos.
The city celebrates a cultural festival.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 La ciudad celebra un festival cultural.
🇫🇷 La ville célèbre un festival culturel.
🇩🇪 Die Stadt feiert ein Kulturfestival.
🇮🇹 La città celebra un festival culturale.
🇵🇹 A cidade celebra um festival cultural.
💡 Use there is / there are to describe what you can find or see at a festival.
There is live music and traditional food.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Hay música en vivo y comida tradicional.
🇫🇷 Il y a de la musique live et de la cuisine traditionnelle.
🇩🇪 Es gibt Live-Musik und traditionelles Essen.
🇮🇹 C'è musica dal vivo e cibo tradizionale.
🇵🇹 Há música ao vivo e comida tradicional.
There is a parade through the city center.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Hay un desfile por el centro de la ciudad.
🇫🇷 Il y a un défilé dans le centre-ville.
🇩🇪 Es gibt eine Parade durch das Stadtzentrum.
🇮🇹 C'è una sfilata attraverso il centro della città.
🇵🇹 Há um desfile pelo centro da cidade.

❓ Useful Festival Questions

📅 When is the festival?
asking the day of the festival
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuándo es el festival?
🇫🇷 French: Quand est le festival ?
🇩🇪 German: Wann ist das Festival?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quando è il festival?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quando é o festival?
📍 Where is the festival held?
asking the place of the festival
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Dónde se celebra el festival?
🇫🇷 French: Où se déroule le festival ?
🇩🇪 German: Wo findet das Festival statt?
🇮🇹 Italian: Dove si svolge il festival?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Onde se realiza o festival?
🎟️ How much are the tickets?
asking the price of entry
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuánto cuestan las entradas?
🇫🇷 French: Combien coûtent les billets ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie viel kosten die Tickets?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quanto costano i biglietti?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quanto custam os ingressos?
⏰ What time does the parade start?
asking when the parade begins
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿A qué hora empieza el desfile?
🇫🇷 French: À quelle heure commence le défilé ?
🇩🇪 German: Wann beginnt die Parade?
🇮🇹 Italian: A che ora inizia la sfilata?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A que horas começa o desfile?
🎆 Will there be fireworks?
asking if lights will go off in the sky
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Habrá fuegos artificiales?
🇫🇷 French: Y aura-t-il des feux d'artifice ?
🇩🇪 German: Wird es Feuerwerk geben?
🇮🇹 Italian: Ci saranno fuochi d'artificio?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Haverá fogos de artifício?
🍲 Is there traditional food?
asking if local dishes are served
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Hay comida tradicional?
🇫🇷 French: Y a-t-il de la cuisine traditionnelle ?
🇩🇪 German: Gibt es traditionelles Essen?
🇮🇹 Italian: C'è cibo tradizionale?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Há comida tradicional?

💬 Common Festival Phrases

🎉 The celebration is incredible this year.
this year's event is especially good
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La celebración es increíble este año.
🇫🇷 French: La célébration est incroyable cette année.
🇩🇪 German: Die Feier ist dieses Jahr unglaublich.
🇮🇹 Italian: La celebrazione è incredibile quest'anno.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A celebração está incrível este ano.
💃 I love dancing at festivals.
dancing is your favorite part of a festival
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Me encanta bailar en los festivales.
🇫🇷 French: J'adore danser aux festivals.
🇩🇪 German: Ich liebe es, auf Festivals zu tanzen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Adoro ballare ai festival.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu adoro dançar em festivais.
🎆 The fireworks are spectacular.
the lights in the sky look amazing
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Los fuegos artificiales son espectaculares.
🇫🇷 French: Les feux d'artifice sont spectaculaires.
🇩🇪 German: Das Feuerwerk ist spektakulär.
🇮🇹 Italian: I fuochi d'artificio sono spettacolari.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Os fogos de artifício são espetaculares.
🍲 The traditional food is delicious.
the local dishes taste very good
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La comida tradicional es deliciosa.
🇫🇷 French: La cuisine traditionnelle est délicieuse.
🇩🇪 German: Das traditionelle Essen ist köstlich.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il cibo tradizionale è delizioso.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A comida tradicional é deliciosa.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Planning a festival visit
making plans and checking the time and tickets
A: Do you want to go to the festival this Saturday?
B: Yes. What time does it start?
A: It starts at five in the afternoon.
B: Perfect. Do we need tickets?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Quieres ir al festival este sábado?
🇪🇸 B: Sí. ¿A qué hora empieza?
🇪🇸 A: Empieza a las cinco de la tarde.
🇪🇸 B: Perfecto. ¿Necesitamos entradas?

🇫🇷 A: Tu veux aller au festival ce samedi ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui. À quelle heure ça commence ?
🇫🇷 A: Ça commence à cinq heures de l'après-midi.
🇫🇷 B: Parfait. On a besoin de billets ?

🇩🇪 A: Willst du dieses Samstag zum Festival gehen?
🇩🇪 B: Ja. Wann fängt es an?
🇩🇪 A: Es fängt um fünf Uhr nachmittags an.
🇩🇪 B: Perfekt. Brauchen wir Tickets?

🇮🇹 A: Vuoi andare al festival questo sabato?
🇮🇹 B: Sì. A che ora inizia?
🇮🇹 A: Inizia alle cinque del pomeriggio.
🇮🇹 B: Perfetto. Ci servono i biglietti?

🇵🇹 A: Você quer ir ao festival neste sábado?
🇵🇹 B: Sim. A que horas começa?
🇵🇹 A: Começa às cinco da tarde.
🇵🇹 B: Perfeito. Precisamos de ingressos?
At the festival
talking about the crowd, food, and parade
A: There are a lot of people here!
B: Yes, the festival is very popular.
A: Do you want to try the traditional food?
B: Of course! Afterward, we can watch the parade.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¡Hay mucha gente aquí!
🇪🇸 B: Sí, el festival es muy popular.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Quieres probar la comida tradicional?
🇪🇸 B: ¡Claro! Después podemos ver el desfile.

🇫🇷 A: Il y a beaucoup de monde ici !
🇫🇷 B: Oui, le festival est très populaire.
🇫🇷 A: Tu veux goûter la cuisine traditionnelle ?
🇫🇷 B: Bien sûr ! Après, on pourra regarder le défilé.

🇩🇪 A: Hier sind so viele Leute!
🇩🇪 B: Ja, das Festival ist sehr beliebt.
🇩🇪 A: Willst du das traditionelle Essen probieren?
🇩🇪 B: Klar! Danach können wir die Parade ansehen.

🇮🇹 A: C'è tanta gente qui!
🇮🇹 B: Sì, il festival è molto popolare.
🇮🇹 A: Vuoi provare il cibo tradizionale?
🇮🇹 B: Certo! Dopo possiamo guardare la sfilata.

🇵🇹 A: Tem muita gente aqui!
🇵🇹 B: Sim, o festival é muito popular.
🇵🇹 A: Você quer experimentar a comida tradicional?
🇵🇹 B: Claro! Depois podemos ver o desfile.

📝 Example Sentences

🎪 The carnival starts tomorrow night.
the carnival begins tomorrow evening
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: El carnaval empieza mañana por la noche.
🇫🇷 French: Le carnaval commence demain soir.
🇩🇪 German: Der Karneval beginnt morgen Abend.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il carnevale inizia domani sera.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O carnaval começa amanhã à noite.
🎭 The parade goes through the city center.
the parade moves along the main streets
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: El desfile pasa por el centro de la ciudad.
🇫🇷 French: Le défilé passe par le centre-ville.
🇩🇪 German: Die Parade führt durch das Stadtzentrum.
🇮🇹 Italian: La sfilata passa per il centro della città.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O desfile passa pelo centro da cidade.
🌎 The local culture is very rich.
this place has many traditions and arts
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La cultura local es muy rica.
🇫🇷 French: La culture locale est très riche.
🇩🇪 German: Die lokale Kultur ist sehr reich.
🇮🇹 Italian: La cultura locale è molto ricca.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A cultura local é muito rica.
⛪ This tradition is important to the community.
people here care about keeping this custom
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Esta tradición es importante para la comunidad.
🇫🇷 French: Cette tradition est importante pour la communauté.
🇩🇪 German: Diese Tradition ist für die Gemeinschaft wichtig.
🇮🇹 Italian: Questa tradizione è importante per la comunità.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Esta tradição é importante para a comunidade.
🎤 There is live music during the festival.
bands play while the festival is on
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Hay música en vivo durante el festival.
🇫🇷 French: Il y a de la musique live pendant le festival.
🇩🇪 German: Es gibt Live-Musik während des Festivals.
🇮🇹 Italian: C'è musica dal vivo durante il festival.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Há música ao vivo durante o festival.
🎆 The fireworks start at ten.
the lights in the sky begin at ten o'clock
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Los fuegos artificiales empiezan a las diez.
🇫🇷 French: Les feux d'artifice commencent à dix heures.
🇩🇪 German: Das Feuerwerk beginnt um zehn.
🇮🇹 Italian: I fuochi d'artificio iniziano alle dieci.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Os fogos de artifício começam às dez.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the word that fits.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%