🍽️ Traditions

⏱ 11 min read

In this lesson, you'll learn useful English vocabulary and everyday 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 and phrase includes translations in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

🟢 Basic Tradition Vocabulary

🕯️ Tradition

🇪🇸 Spanish: Tradición
🇫🇷 French: Tradition
🇩🇪 German: Tradition
🇮🇹 Italian: Tradizione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tradição
🌎 Culture

🇪🇸 Spanish: Cultura
🇫🇷 French: Culture
🇩🇪 German: Kultur
🇮🇹 Italian: Cultura
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cultura
📜 Custom

🇪🇸 Spanish: Costumbre
🇫🇷 French: Coutume
🇩🇪 German: Brauch
🇮🇹 Italian: Usanza
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Costume
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

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

🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebración
🇫🇷 French: Célébration
🇩🇪 German: Feier
🇮🇹 Italian: Celebrazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebração
🏛️ Cultural heritage

🇪🇸 Spanish: Patrimonio cultural
🇫🇷 French: Patrimoine culturel
🇩🇪 German: Kulturerbe
🇮🇹 Italian: Patrimonio culturale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Patrimônio cultural

🟡 Cultural & Family Traditions

🍽️ Traditional food

🇪🇸 Spanish: Comida tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Plat traditionnel
🇩🇪 German: Traditionelles Essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cibo tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comida tradicional
🎵 Traditional music

🇪🇸 Spanish: Música tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Musique traditionnelle
🇩🇪 German: Traditionelle Musik
🇮🇹 Italian: Musica tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Música tradicional
💃 Traditional dance

🇪🇸 Spanish: Baile tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Danse traditionnelle
🇩🇪 German: Traditioneller Tanz
🇮🇹 Italian: Danza tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dança tradicional
👵 Grandparents

🇪🇸 Spanish: Abuelos
🇫🇷 French: Grands-parents
🇩🇪 German: Großeltern
🇮🇹 Italian: Nonni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Avós
👥 Generation

🇪🇸 Spanish: Generación
🇫🇷 French: Génération
🇩🇪 German: Generation
🇮🇹 Italian: Generazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Geração
📖 History

🇪🇸 Spanish: Historia
🇫🇷 French: Histoire
🇩🇪 German: Geschichte
🇮🇹 Italian: Storia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: História

▶️ Talking About Traditions

🎉 Celebrate

🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebrar
🇫🇷 French: Célébrer
🇩🇪 German: Feiern
🇮🇹 Italian: Festeggiare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebrar
📜 Follow a tradition

🇪🇸 Spanish: Seguir una tradición
🇫🇷 French: Suivre une tradition
🇩🇪 German: Einer Tradition folgen
🇮🇹 Italian: Seguire una tradizione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Seguir uma tradição
🤲 Preserve

🇪🇸 Spanish: Conservar
🇫🇷 French: Préserver
🇩🇪 German: Bewahren
🇮🇹 Italian: Conservare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preservar
🗣️ Teach

🇪🇸 Spanish: Enseñar
🇫🇷 French: Enseigner
🇩🇪 German: Lehren
🇮🇹 Italian: Insegnare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ensinar
🔄 Pass down

🇪🇸 Spanish: Transmitir
🇫🇷 French: Transmettre
🇩🇪 German: Weitergeben
🇮🇹 Italian: Tramandare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Transmitir
🤝 Participate

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Es una tradición familiar.
🇫🇷 French: C'est une tradition familiale.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist eine Familientradition.
🇮🇹 Italian: È una tradizione di famiglia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: É uma tradição de família.

This tradition is many years old.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Esta tradición tiene muchos años.
🇫🇷 French: Cette tradition existe depuis de nombreuses années.
🇩🇪 German: Diese Tradition ist viele Jahre alt.
🇮🇹 Italian: Questa tradizione ha molti anni.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: 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.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Es una costumbre de nuestra región.
🇫🇷 French: C'est une coutume de notre région.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist ein Brauch in unserer Region.
🇮🇹 Italian: È un'usanza della nostra regione.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: É um costume da nossa região.

We have a tradition of eating dinner together every Sunday.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Tenemos la costumbre de cenar juntos los domingos.
🇫🇷 French: Nous avons l'habitude de dîner ensemble le dimanche.
🇩🇪 German: Wir haben die Gewohnheit, sonntags gemeinsam zu Abend zu essen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo l'abitudine di cenare insieme la domenica.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Temos o costume de jantar juntos aos domingos.

💬 Common Tradition Phrases

🕯️ It is a very old family tradition.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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?

🇪🇸 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?

🇪🇸 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?

🇪🇸 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?

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 Spanish: La tradición se transmite de generación en generación.
🇫🇷 French: Cette tradition se transmet de génération en génération.
🇩🇪 German: Diese Tradition wird von Generation zu Generation weitergegeben.
🇮🇹 Italian: Questa tradizione si tramanda di generazione in generazione.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: 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.

🇪🇸 Spanish: Queremos conservar nuestras tradiciones.
🇫🇷 French: Nous voulons préserver nos traditions.
🇩🇪 German: Wir möchten unsere Traditionen bewahren.
🇮🇹 Italian: Vogliamo conservare le nostre tradizioni.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Queremos preservar nossas tradições.

Our family keeps this tradition alive.

🇪🇸 Spanish: La familia mantiene viva esta tradición.
🇫🇷 French: Notre famille fait vivre cette tradition.
🇩🇪 German: Unsere Familie hält diese Tradition am Leben.
🇮🇹 Italian: La nostra famiglia mantiene viva questa tradizione.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Nossa família mantém essa tradição viva.

💬 Everyday Conversations

A Family Tradition

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.

🇪🇸 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 Cultural Tradition

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.

🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué significa esta tradición?
B: Es una parte importante de nuestra cultura.
A: ¿Todavía la practican?
B: Sí, cada año participa mucha gente.

📝 Example Sentences

🎵 Music is part of our culture.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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.

🇪🇸 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.

🏆 Final Practice

Try saying each English phrase before pressing play.

  • It is a family tradition.
  • Where does this tradition come from?
  • This tradition is part of our culture.
  • My grandparents taught us this tradition.
  • This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation.
  • We want to preserve our traditions.