Blog · Family life

Hello in Luxembourgish: Moien, and the first classroom words.

One word opens almost every door in Luxembourg, and your child will say it from their very first morning at school. Here it is, along with the small handful of words that go with it, to discover through the first words with the official pronunciation.

Moien, the all-purpose word

Hello is Moien. And it's the handiest of words: it works at any time of day, with anyone, from the baker to the teacher. Your child will hear it every morning at drop-off, and it's often the very first Luxembourgish word they'll bring home. Say it to them as you drop them off, and they'll make the connection all by themselves.

By time of day, if you want to be precise

• Gudde Moien: good morning.
• Gudde Mëtteg: good afternoon.
• Gudden Owend: good evening.
• Äddi: goodbye, see you next time.

In speech, plain Moien is enough in almost every case. Keep the others for play, children love the "evening" version at bedtime.

The words your child will hear in class

Beyond hello, a handful of words come up all the time in cycle 1. Knowing them gives your child a few "oh, I know that" moments on the first day of school.

• Merci: thank you.
• Jo: yes. Nee: no.
• Wann ech gelift: please.
• Jo, gären: yes, gladly.

Hearing them well pronounced

A mispronounced word has to be learned twice, so you may as well start from the right voice. A child builds their ear on what they hear: favour a real Luxembourgish voice. Our first words with the pronunciation from the official dictionary can be touched and heard in the browser, and they fit into the wider method: how to bring Luxembourgish to a child who can't read yet.

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