🦃 Thanksgiving

⏱ 9 min read

Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November and in Canada on the second Monday of October. It is a time for family gatherings, sharing a special meal, expressing gratitude, and enjoying holiday traditions. In this lesson, you'll learn useful English vocabulary and everyday expressions for talking about Thanksgiving, with translations in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

🟢 Basic Thanksgiving Vocabulary

🦃 Thanksgiving

🇪🇸 Spanish: Acción de Gracias
🇫🇷 French: Action de grâce
🇩🇪 German: Erntedankfest / Thanksgiving
🇮🇹 Italian: Giorno del Ringraziamento
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dia de Ação de Graças
🦃 Turkey

🇪🇸 Spanish: Pavo
🇫🇷 French: Dinde
🇩🇪 German: Truthahn
🇮🇹 Italian: Tacchino
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Peru
🥧 Pumpkin pie

🇪🇸 Spanish: Pastel de calabaza
🇫🇷 French: Tarte à la citrouille
🇩🇪 German: Kürbiskuchen
🇮🇹 Italian: Crostata di zucca
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Torta de abóbora
🍽️ Family dinner

🇪🇸 Spanish: Cena familiar
🇫🇷 French: Dîner en famille
🇩🇪 German: Familienessen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cena in famiglia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Jantar em família
🙏 Gratitude

🇪🇸 Spanish: Gratitud
🇫🇷 French: Gratitude
🇩🇪 German: Dankbarkeit
🇮🇹 Italian: Gratitudine
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gratidão
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

🇪🇸 Spanish: Familia
🇫🇷 French: Famille
🇩🇪 German: Familie
🇮🇹 Italian: Famiglia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Família

🟡 Thanksgiving Food & Traditions

🥔 Mashed potatoes

🇪🇸 Spanish: Puré de papas
🇫🇷 French: Purée de pommes de terre
🇩🇪 German: Kartoffelpüree
🇮🇹 Italian: Purè di patate
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Purê de batatas
🍞 Stuffing

🇪🇸 Spanish: Relleno
🇫🇷 French: Farce
🇩🇪 German: Füllung
🇮🇹 Italian: Ripieno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Recheio
🥣 Gravy

🇪🇸 Spanish: Salsa de carne
🇫🇷 French: Sauce
🇩🇪 German: Bratensoße
🇮🇹 Italian: Sugo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Molho
🍂 Autumn

🇪🇸 Spanish: Otoño
🇫🇷 French: Automne
🇩🇪 German: Herbst
🇮🇹 Italian: Autunno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Outono
🏈 Football game

🇪🇸 Spanish: Partido de fútbol americano
🇫🇷 French: Match de football américain
🇩🇪 German: Footballspiel
🇮🇹 Italian: Partita di football americano
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Jogo de futebol americano
🧡 To give thanks

🇪🇸 Spanish: Dar gracias
🇫🇷 French: Rendre grâce
🇩🇪 German: Dank sagen
🇮🇹 Italian: Ringraziare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dar graças

💬 Common Thanksgiving Phrases

🦃 Happy Thanksgiving!

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¡Feliz Día de Acción de Gracias!
🇫🇷 French: Joyeux Thanksgiving !
🇩🇪 German: Frohes Thanksgiving!
🇮🇹 Italian: Buon Giorno del Ringraziamento!
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Feliz Dia de Ação de Graças!
🍽️ We're having Thanksgiving dinner together.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Vamos a cenar juntos en Acción de Gracias.
🇫🇷 French: Nous dînons ensemble pour Thanksgiving.
🇩🇪 German: Wir essen gemeinsam zu Thanksgiving.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ceniamo insieme per il Giorno del Ringraziamento.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vamos jantar juntos no Dia de Ação de Graças.
🙏 I'm thankful for my family.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Estoy agradecido por mi familia.
🇫🇷 French: Je suis reconnaissant pour ma famille.
🇩🇪 German: Ich bin dankbar für meine Familie.
🇮🇹 Italian: Sono grato per la mia famiglia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sou grato pela minha família.
🥧 Would you like another piece of pumpkin pie?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Quieres otro pedazo de pastel de calabaza?
🇫🇷 French: Voulez-vous une autre part de tarte à la citrouille ?
🇩🇪 German: Möchtest du noch ein Stück Kürbiskuchen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Vuoi un'altra fetta di crostata di zucca?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você gostaria de outro pedaço de torta de abóbora?

🦃 Cultural Note

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest family holidays in the United States. Families and friends often travel long distances to share a special meal together and spend time with loved ones.

Traditional Thanksgiving foods often include roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables, and pumpkin pie. Many people also watch American football or Thanksgiving parades on television.

Beginner Tip: During Thanksgiving, it's common to tell people what you're thankful for. A simple sentence like "I'm thankful for my family." is a very natural English expression.

❓ Useful Questions About Thanksgiving

🦃 How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cómo celebras el Día de Acción de Gracias?
🇫🇷 French: Comment fêtes-tu Thanksgiving ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie feierst du Thanksgiving?
🇮🇹 Italian: Come festeggi il Giorno del Ringraziamento?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Como você comemora o Dia de Ação de Graças?
🍽️ Who's coming to dinner?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Quién viene a cenar?
🇫🇷 French: Qui vient dîner ?
🇩🇪 German: Wer kommt zum Abendessen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Chi viene a cena?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quem vem para o jantar?
🦃 Are you cooking the turkey?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Vas a cocinar el pavo?
🇫🇷 French: Est-ce que tu cuisines la dinde ?
🇩🇪 German: Kochst du den Truthahn?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cucinerai il tacchino?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você vai cozinhar o peru?
🥧 Would you like some pumpkin pie?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Quieres un poco de pastel de calabaza?
🇫🇷 French: Voulez-vous de la tarte à la citrouille ?
🇩🇪 German: Möchtest du etwas Kürbiskuchen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Vuoi un po' di crostata di zucca?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você gostaria de um pouco de torta de abóbora?
🙏 What are you thankful for?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Por qué estás agradecido?
🇫🇷 French: De quoi es-tu reconnaissant ?
🇩🇪 German: Wofür bist du dankbar?
🇮🇹 Italian: Per cosa sei grato?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pelo que você é grato?
🏈 Are you watching the football game?

🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Vas a ver el partido de fútbol americano?
🇫🇷 French: Regardes-tu le match de football américain ?
🇩🇪 German: Schaust du das Footballspiel?
🇮🇹 Italian: Guarderai la partita di football americano?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você vai assistir ao jogo de futebol americano?

💬 Everyday Conversation

Thanksgiving Dinner

A: What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
🇪🇸 ¿Qué vas a hacer para el Día de Acción de Gracias?
🇫🇷 Que fais-tu pour Thanksgiving ?
🇩🇪 Was machst du zu Thanksgiving?
🇮🇹 Cosa farai per il Giorno del Ringraziamento?
🇵🇹 O que você vai fazer no Dia de Ação de Graças?

B: I'm having dinner with my family.
🇪🇸 Voy a cenar con mi familia.
🇫🇷 Je vais dîner avec ma famille.
🇩🇪 Ich esse mit meiner Familie zu Abend.
🇮🇹 Cenerò con la mia famiglia.
🇵🇹 Vou jantar com minha família.

A: Who's cooking the turkey?
🇪🇸 ¿Quién cocina el pavo?
🇫🇷 Qui cuisine la dinde ?
🇩🇪 Wer kocht den Truthahn?
🇮🇹 Chi cucina il tacchino?
🇵🇹 Quem vai cozinhar o peru?

B: My grandmother always makes Thanksgiving dinner.
🇪🇸 Mi abuela siempre prepara la cena de Acción de Gracias.
🇫🇷 Ma grand-mère prépare toujours le dîner de Thanksgiving.
🇩🇪 Meine Großmutter kocht immer das Thanksgiving-Essen.
🇮🇹 Mia nonna prepara sempre la cena del Giorno del Ringraziamento.
🇵🇹 Minha avó sempre prepara o jantar de Ação de Graças.

📝 Example Sentences

🦃 We eat turkey every Thanksgiving.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Comemos pavo todos los Días de Acción de Gracias.
🇫🇷 French: Nous mangeons de la dinde chaque Thanksgiving.
🇩🇪 German: Wir essen jeden Thanksgiving Truthahn.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mangiamo il tacchino ogni Giorno del Ringraziamento.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comemos peru todo Dia de Ação de Graças.
🥧 Pumpkin pie is my favorite dessert.

🇪🇸 Spanish: El pastel de calabaza es mi postre favorito.
🇫🇷 French: La tarte à la citrouille est mon dessert préféré.
🇩🇪 German: Kürbiskuchen ist mein Lieblingsdessert.
🇮🇹 Italian: La crostata di zucca è il mio dolce preferito.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A torta de abóbora é minha sobremesa favorita.
🙏 We give thanks before we eat.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Damos gracias antes de comer.
🇫🇷 French: Nous rendons grâce avant de manger.
🇩🇪 German: Wir sagen Danke, bevor wir essen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ringraziamo prima di mangiare.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Damos graças antes de comer.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Everyone is happy to be together.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Todos están felices de estar juntos.
🇫🇷 French: Tout le monde est heureux d'être ensemble.
🇩🇪 German: Alle freuen sich, zusammen zu sein.
🇮🇹 Italian: Tutti sono felici di stare insieme.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Todos estão felizes por estarem juntos.
🍂 Thanksgiving is celebrated in autumn.

🇪🇸 Spanish: El Día de Acción de Gracias se celebra en otoño.
🇫🇷 French: Thanksgiving est célébré en automne.
🇩🇪 German: Thanksgiving wird im Herbst gefeiert.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il Giorno del Ringraziamento si celebra in autunno.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O Dia de Ação de Graças é celebrado no outono.
🧡 It's a day to be thankful.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Es un día para estar agradecido.
🇫🇷 French: C'est une journée pour être reconnaissant.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist ein Tag, um dankbar zu sein.
🇮🇹 Italian: È un giorno per essere grati.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: É um dia para ser grato.

🏆 Final Practice

Try saying each English phrase before pressing play.

  • Happy Thanksgiving!
  • I'm thankful for my family.
  • We're having Thanksgiving dinner together.
  • Would you like some pumpkin pie?
  • We give thanks before we eat.
  • It's a day to be thankful.