🍽️ Traditions

In this lesson you will learn useful everyday English vocabulary and expressions for talking about traditions, customs, culture, family traditions, cultural heritage, and how traditions are passed down from one generation to another. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic Tradition Vocabulary

🕯️ 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
📜 Custom
a usual way of doing something in a place
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Costumbre
🇫🇷 French: Coutume
🇩🇪 German: Brauch
🇮🇹 Italian: Usanza
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Costume
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family
the people you are related to
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Familia
🇫🇷 French: Famille
🇩🇪 German: Familie
🇮🇹 Italian: Famiglia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Família
🎉 Celebration
a special time to mark a happy occasion
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebración
🇫🇷 French: Célébration
🇩🇪 German: Feier
🇮🇹 Italian: Celebrazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebração
🏛️ Cultural heritage
the traditions and history a community keeps
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Patrimonio cultural
🇫🇷 French: Patrimoine culturel
🇩🇪 German: Kulturerbe
🇮🇹 Italian: Patrimonio culturale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Patrimônio cultural

🟡 Cultural & Family Traditions

🍽️ Traditional food
dishes people have cooked for many years
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comida tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Plat traditionnel
🇩🇪 German: Traditionelles Essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cibo tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comida tradicional
🎵 Traditional music
songs that belong to a culture or region
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Música tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Musique traditionnelle
🇩🇪 German: Traditionelle Musik
🇮🇹 Italian: Musica tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Música tradicional
💃 Traditional dance
a dance people have done for a long time
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Baile tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Danse traditionnelle
🇩🇪 German: Traditioneller Tanz
🇮🇹 Italian: Danza tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dança tradicional
👵 Grandparents
the parents of your mother or father
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Abuelos
🇫🇷 French: Grands-parents
🇩🇪 German: Großeltern
🇮🇹 Italian: Nonni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Avós
👥 Generation
people born around the same time
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Generación
🇫🇷 French: Génération
🇩🇪 German: Generation
🇮🇹 Italian: Generazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Geração
📖 History
the story of what happened in the past
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Historia
🇫🇷 French: Histoire
🇩🇪 German: Geschichte
🇮🇹 Italian: Storia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: História

▶️ Talking About Traditions

🎉 Celebrate
to mark a special day with joy
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebrar
🇫🇷 French: Célébrer
🇩🇪 German: Feiern
🇮🇹 Italian: Festeggiare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebrar
📜 Follow a tradition
to keep doing something the usual way
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Seguir una tradición
🇫🇷 French: Suivre une tradition
🇩🇪 German: Einer Tradition folgen
🇮🇹 Italian: Seguire una tradizione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Seguir uma tradição
🤲 Preserve
to keep something so it is not lost
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Conservar
🇫🇷 French: Préserver
🇩🇪 German: Bewahren
🇮🇹 Italian: Conservare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preservar
🗣️ Teach
to help someone learn something
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Enseñar
🇫🇷 French: Enseigner
🇩🇪 German: Lehren
🇮🇹 Italian: Insegnare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ensinar
🔄 Pass down
to give a custom to the next generation
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Transmitir
🇫🇷 French: Transmettre
🇩🇪 German: Weitergeben
🇮🇹 Italian: Tramandare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Transmitir
🤝 Participate
to take part in something
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Participar
🇫🇷 French: Participer
🇩🇪 German: Teilnehmen
🇮🇹 Italian: Partecipare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Participar

🧠 Tradition vs. Custom

💡 Tradition usually refers to a belief, activity, or way of doing something that has been passed down from one generation to another.
It is a family tradition.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Es una tradición familiar.
🇫🇷 C'est une tradition familiale.
🇩🇪 Es ist eine Familientradition.
🇮🇹 È una tradizione di famiglia.
🇵🇹 É uma tradição de família.
This tradition is many years old.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Esta tradición tiene muchos años.
🇫🇷 Cette tradition existe depuis de nombreuses années.
🇩🇪 Diese Tradition ist viele Jahre alt.
🇮🇹 Questa tradizione ha molti anni.
🇵🇹 Esta tradição existe há muitos anos.
💡 Custom usually refers to a common way of behaving or doing something in a particular culture, region, or family. Customs may also describe everyday habits.
It is a custom in our region.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Es una costumbre de nuestra región.
🇫🇷 C'est une coutume de notre région.
🇩🇪 Es ist ein Brauch in unserer Region.
🇮🇹 È un'usanza della nostra regione.
🇵🇹 É um costume da nossa região.
We have a tradition of eating dinner together every Sunday.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Tenemos la costumbre de cenar juntos los domingos.
🇫🇷 Nous avons l'habitude de dîner ensemble le dimanche.
🇩🇪 Wir haben die Gewohnheit, sonntags gemeinsam zu Abend zu essen.
🇮🇹 Abbiamo l'abitudine di cenare insieme la domenica.
🇵🇹 Temos o costume de jantar juntos aos domingos.

💬 Common Tradition Phrases

🕯️ It is a very old family tradition.
the family has done this for a long time
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Es una tradición familiar muy antigua.
🇫🇷 French: C'est une très ancienne tradition familiale.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist eine sehr alte Familientradition.
🇮🇹 Italian: È una tradizione di famiglia molto antica.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: É uma tradição de família muito antiga.
🍽️ 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 lecker.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il cibo tradizionale è delizioso.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A comida tradicional é deliciosa.
🌎 This tradition is part of our culture.
this custom belongs to who we are
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Esta tradición forma parte de nuestra cultura.
🇫🇷 French: Cette tradition fait partie de notre culture.
🇩🇪 German: Diese Tradition ist Teil unserer Kultur.
🇮🇹 Italian: Questa tradizione fa parte della nostra cultura.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Esta tradição faz parte da nossa cultura.
👵 My grandparents taught us this tradition.
older relatives showed you how to keep it
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mis abuelos nos enseñaron esta tradición.
🇫🇷 French: Mes grands-parents nous ont appris cette tradition.
🇩🇪 German: Meine Großeltern haben uns diese Tradition beigebracht.
🇮🇹 Italian: I miei nonni ci hanno insegnato questa tradizione.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Meus avós nos ensinaram esta tradição.

❓ Useful Questions About Traditions

🕯️ Do you have any family traditions?
asking if relatives keep special customs
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Tienen alguna tradición familiar?
🇫🇷 French: Avez-vous des traditions familiales ?
🇩🇪 German: Habt ihr Familientraditionen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Avete tradizioni di famiglia?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vocês têm tradições familiares?
🌎 What are the traditions in your country?
asking about customs from someone's nation
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuáles son las tradiciones de tu país?
🇫🇷 French: Quelles sont les traditions de votre pays ?
🇩🇪 German: Welche Traditionen gibt es in deinem Land?
🇮🇹 Italian: Quali sono le tradizioni del tuo paese?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quais são as tradições do seu país?
📜 Where does this tradition come from?
asking about the origin of a custom
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿De dónde viene esta tradición?
🇫🇷 French: D'où vient cette tradition ?
🇩🇪 German: Woher kommt diese Tradition?
🇮🇹 Italian: Da dove viene questa tradizione?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: De onde vem esta tradição?
🎉 How do you celebrate this tradition?
asking what people do for the custom
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cómo celebran esta tradición?
🇫🇷 French: Comment célébrez-vous cette tradition ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie feiert ihr diese Tradition?
🇮🇹 Italian: Come festeggiate questa tradizione?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Como vocês comemoram essa tradição?

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Passing Down Traditions

💡 Traditions are often passed down from parents and grandparents to younger generations.
This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 La tradición se transmite de generación en generación.
🇫🇷 Cette tradition se transmet de génération en génération.
🇩🇪 Diese Tradition wird von Generation zu Generation weitergegeben.
🇮🇹 Questa tradizione si tramanda di generazione in generazione.
🇵🇹 Esta tradição é passada de geração em geração.
💡 Use preserve or keep alive when talking about protecting traditions so future generations can continue them.
We want to preserve our traditions.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Queremos conservar nuestras tradiciones.
🇫🇷 Nous voulons préserver nos traditions.
🇩🇪 Wir möchten unsere Traditionen bewahren.
🇮🇹 Vogliamo conservare le nostre tradizioni.
🇵🇹 Queremos preservar nossas tradições.
Our family keeps this tradition alive.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 La familia mantiene viva esta tradición.
🇫🇷 Notre famille fait vivre cette tradition.
🇩🇪 Unsere Familie hält diese Tradition am Leben.
🇮🇹 La nostra famiglia mantiene viva questa tradizione.
🇵🇹 Nossa família mantém essa tradição viva.

💬 Everyday Conversations

A Family Tradition
asking how long a family custom has existed
A: Do you have any special family traditions?
B: Yes, our whole family gets together once a year.
A: How long have you had that tradition?
B: Since my grandparents were young.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Tienen alguna tradición familiar especial?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, toda la familia se reúne una vez al año.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Desde cuándo tienen esa tradición?
🇪🇸 B: Desde la época de mis abuelos.

🇫🇷 A: Avez-vous des traditions familiales spéciales ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, toute la famille se réunit une fois par an.
🇫🇷 A: Depuis quand avez-vous cette tradition ?
🇫🇷 B: Depuis que mes grands-parents étaient jeunes.

🇩🇪 A: Habt ihr besondere Familientraditionen?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, unsere ganze Familie kommt einmal im Jahr zusammen.
🇩🇪 A: Wie lange habt ihr diese Tradition schon?
🇩🇪 B: Seit meine Großeltern jung waren.

🇮🇹 A: Avete delle tradizioni di famiglia speciali?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, tutta la famiglia si riunisce una volta all'anno.
🇮🇹 A: Da quanto avete questa tradizione?
🇮🇹 B: Da quando i miei nonni erano giovani.

🇵🇹 A: Vocês têm alguma tradição familiar especial?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, toda a família se reúne uma vez por ano.
🇵🇹 A: Há quanto tempo vocês têm essa tradição?
🇵🇹 B: Desde que meus avós eram jovens.
A Cultural Tradition
asking what a custom means and if people still do it
A: What does this tradition mean?
B: It is an important part of our culture.
A: Do people still practice it?
B: Yes, many people take part every year.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué significa esta tradición?
🇪🇸 B: Es una parte importante de nuestra cultura.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Todavía la practican?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, cada año participa mucha gente.

🇫🇷 A: Que signifie cette tradition ?
🇫🇷 B: C'est une partie importante de notre culture.
🇫🇷 A: Les gens la pratiquent encore ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, beaucoup de gens y participent chaque année.

🇩🇪 A: Was bedeutet diese Tradition?
🇩🇪 B: Sie ist ein wichtiger Teil unserer Kultur.
🇩🇪 A: Wird sie noch praktiziert?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, viele Menschen nehmen jedes Jahr teil.

🇮🇹 A: Cosa significa questa tradizione?
🇮🇹 B: È una parte importante della nostra cultura.
🇮🇹 A: La si pratica ancora?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, ogni anno partecipano molte persone.

🇵🇹 A: O que significa esta tradição?
🇵🇹 B: É uma parte importante da nossa cultura.
🇵🇹 A: As pessoas ainda a praticam?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, muita gente participa todos os anos.

📝 Example Sentences

🎵 Music is part of our culture.
songs belong to who we are
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La música forma parte de nuestra cultura.
🇫🇷 French: La musique fait partie de notre culture.
🇩🇪 German: Musik ist ein Teil unserer Kultur.
🇮🇹 Italian: La musica fa parte della nostra cultura.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A música faz parte da nossa cultura.
💃 Dance is an important part of the tradition.
dancing belongs to this custom
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: El baile es una parte importante de la tradición.
🇫🇷 French: La danse est une partie importante de la tradition.
🇩🇪 German: Tanz ist ein wichtiger Teil der Tradition.
🇮🇹 Italian: La danza è una parte importante della tradizione.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A dança é uma parte importante da tradição.
👵 My grandparents taught us many family traditions.
older relatives showed you several customs
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mis abuelos nos enseñaron muchas tradiciones familiares.
🇫🇷 French: Mes grands-parents nous ont appris de nombreuses traditions familiales.
🇩🇪 German: Meine Großeltern haben uns viele Familientraditionen beigebracht.
🇮🇹 Italian: I miei nonni ci hanno insegnato molte tradizioni di famiglia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Meus avós nos ensinaram muitas tradições familiares.
📖 This custom has a long history.
people have done this for many years
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Esta costumbre tiene una larga historia.
🇫🇷 French: Cette coutume a une longue histoire.
🇩🇪 German: Dieser Brauch hat eine lange Geschichte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Questa usanza ha una lunga storia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Este costume tem uma longa história.
👥 Each generation keeps the tradition alive.
every age group continues the custom
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cada generación mantiene viva la tradición.
🇫🇷 French: Chaque génération fait vivre la tradition.
🇩🇪 German: Jede Generation hält die Tradition am Leben.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ogni generazione mantiene viva la tradizione.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cada geração mantém a tradição viva.
🏛️ Traditions are an important part of our cultural heritage.
customs help keep a community's past alive
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Las tradiciones son una parte importante del patrimonio cultural.
🇫🇷 French: Les traditions sont une partie importante du patrimoine culturel.
🇩🇪 German: Traditionen sind ein wichtiger Teil unseres Kulturerbes.
🇮🇹 Italian: Le tradizioni sono una parte importante del patrimonio culturale.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: As tradições são uma parte importante do patrimônio cultural.
The answers stay the same. The stems are simpler.

🏆 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%