Why do I need to know Hundstage?
You may come across Hundstage in Austrian weather reports, newspaper headlines or conversations about particularly hot summer weather.
The term is used across the German-speaking world rather than being specifically Austrian, and it’s a handy one to recognise at this time of year when heatwaves and high temperatures dominate conversations.
And if you’re reading this on August 21st, we’re still in the traditional Hundstage period — albeit the tail end of it.
READ ALSO: Could 40C summers become more common in Austria?
What does it mean?
Hundstage literally means “dog days”, and is the German equivalent of the English expression “the dog days of summer”.
Despite the name, it doesn’t originally have anything to do with dogs struggling in hot weather.
The expression has astronomical roots and is linked to Sirius, the so-called Dog Star, which belongs to the constellation Canis Major, or the Great Dog. The German term ultimately comes from the Latin dies caniculares, meaning “dog days”.
The traditional period from July 23rd to August 23rd dates back centuries. The astronomical timing has shifted over time, but the name has remained attached to the hottest part of high summer.
Grammatically, Hundstage is a plural noun, so you’ll normally encounter it as die Hundstage.
READ ALSO: The German language you need for summer in Austria
Use it like this:
Während der Hundstage suchen viele Menschen Abkühlung am See.
During the dog days of summer, many people head to the lake to cool off.
Die Hundstage machen ihrem Namen dieses Jahr alle Ehre.
The dog days are certainly living up to their name this year.
Zum Glück sind die Hundstage bald vorbei.
Luckily, the dog days will soon be over.
So if someone in Austria starts complaining about the Hundstage, there’s no need to look around for a dog. They’re probably just fed up with the summer heat.
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