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What does “zu besonderen Anlässen” mean in German?

The speaker says the classic heavy dishes — sausage, sauerkraut, roast pork — turn up mostly in traditional inns or “zu besonderen Anlässen,” meaning on special occasions. “Anlass” is the everyday German word for an occasion, event, or reason for something. Once you know it, the speaker’s point is clear: these old favorites are food for special days, not the daily table.

Spoken: “neben diesen Klassikern, die es hauptsächlich in traditionellen Wirtshäusern oder zu besonderen Anlässen gibt” — “next to these classics, which you mainly find in traditional inns or on special occasions.” “Anlass” (plural “Anlässe”) means an occasion, event, or reason for something. You will hear it a lot: - “Wir treffen uns nur zu besonderen Anlässen.” — “We only meet on special occasions.” - “Zu welchem Anlass ist die Feier?” — “What’s the occasion for the party?” - “Es gibt keinen Anlass zur Sorge.” — “There’s no reason to worry.” Worth noting: “Anlass” can mean either a specific date or event (“a special occasion”) or a cause or reason (“a reason to...”). “zu” here means “on/for” the occasion.