In brief
Oktoberfest runs on its own vocabulary, and most of it is never translated for visitors. The festival itself is “the Wiesn,” a Maß is the one-liter mug everyone is drinking from, and “O’zapft is” is what gets shouted the moment the first keg is tapped. This page collects 43 words and phrases you will actually encounter, from the grounds and the tents to the food, the Tracht and the rules, each with what it means and where you are likely to hear it. Not every word here is old folklore, either; one of them is the actual name of the Bavarian law banning cannabis at the festival.
You do not need a word of German to enjoy Oktoberfest, but a handful of words will follow you around the grounds regardless, usually shouted by someone taller than you holding four Maß at once. This page is the glossary companion to my complete Oktoberfest guide: every entry below is a word you can expect to see on a sign, hear from a waitress, or read on a tent’s own site, grouped by where you will run into it.
The festival and the grounds
| Word | Meaning | Where you’ll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Wiesn | Short for Theresienwiese, the meadow named after Princess Therese; the everyday name for Oktoberfest itself | Everywhere — “the Wiesn” is how Munich actually refers to the festival1 |
| Theresienwiese | The festival grounds, named for Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, whose 1810 wedding celebration became the first Oktoberfest | Station names, addresses, official signage1 |
| Oide Wiesn | “Old Wiesn,” the nostalgic historic corner of the festival since 2010, with its own small entrance fee and old-fashioned rides | The south end of the grounds, behind its own fence910 |
| Festzelt | A large beer tent; the festival has 17 of them, plus 21 smaller tents | In every tent’s own name, such as Hofbräu-Festzelt or Hacker-Festzelt10 |
| Weinzelt | Wine tent; Kufflers Weinzelt is Oktoberfest’s own, pouring wheat beer instead of standard Festbier | On the Weinzelt’s own signage and menu3 |
| Oktoberfest barometer | The city’s own crowd forecast tool for the festival | On oktoberfest.de, when checking which days are less busy1 |
| Carefree Wiesn package | Munich Tourism’s official bundle of a reserved table, a guided tour, a stein and a Ferris-wheel ride | Munich Tourism’s own booking pages1 |
| Gay Sunday | The LGBTIQ+ community’s main Oktoberfest gathering, held in the Bräurosl tent on the first Sunday | Word of mouth and Munich’s own event listings10 |
Source: oktoberfest.de1910; muenchen.de1010.
The tapping ceremony
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Where you’ll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| O’zapft is (also written Ozapft is) | “It’s tapped” — shouted the moment Munich’s mayor taps the first keg | The Schottenhamel tent, noon on opening day, then repeated across the grounds2 |
| Auf eine friedliche Wiesn | “Here’s to a peaceful Oktoberfest” — the toast the mayor gives right after tapping the keg | Immediately after “O’zapft is” at the opening ceremony2 |
Source: oktoberfest.de2.
The ceremony itself is a small, specific ritual, and I like it more than I expected to the first time I read the whole sequence: the mayor tries to tap the keg in as few hammer strokes as possible, the first stein goes to the Bavarian Minister-President, and twelve gunshots fired in front of the Bavaria statue signal every other tent that beer service can begin2.
Beer and drink
| Word | Meaning | Where you’ll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Maß | A one-liter beer, 33.8 fl oz, the standard size served in every tent | Ordered by the word alone — “eine Maß, bitte” |
| Festbier | The standard festival beer style most tents pour | On tent menus and in 2026 price comparisons3 |
| Spezi | A cola-and-orange soft drink | Listed alongside water and lemonade as a non-alcoholic option63 |
Source: oktoberfest.de beer price page3; eat-and-drink magazine6.
Radler is not in the table above because no tent menu lists it as its own line item; order “ein Radler, bitte” and you get a Maß-sized mix of beer and lemon soda instead of straight Festbier. It was always my own order at the Wiesn: it looks exactly like everyone else’s beer, and it leaves you considerably steadier by the last band set.
Food
| Word | Meaning | Where you’ll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Hendl (Wiesn Hendl) | Half a roast chicken, the anchor dish of every tent and the reservation minimum-consumption item | On every big tent’s menu711 |
| Schweinshaxe (Schweinshaxn) | Roasted pork knuckle | A heavier alternative to the Hendl7 |
| Brotzeit | Literally “bread time,” Bavaria’s snack-plate meal | Ordered as a lighter option to a hot main6 |
| Obazda | A cheese-and-butter spread with paprika, served with radishes | A standard vegetarian and vegan menu item61 |
| Radi | Radish | Served alongside Obazda and pretzels1 |
| Brezn | Pretzel | On every menu, often shared as a giant pretzel at the table17 |
| Käsespätzle | Cheese noodles | A standard vegetarian main1 |
| Kaiserschmarrn | A torn, shredded pancake, served in an organic version at the Ochsenbraterei tent | One of the few sit-down desserts inside a tent6 |
| Lebkuchenherzen | Gingerbread hearts, often iced with a message and worn on a ribbon | Stalls between the tents, more souvenir than snack7 |
Source: oktoberfest.de eat-and-drink magazine6; calorie guide7; visitor FAQ1; booking page11.
Trachten and clothing
| Word | Meaning | Where you’ll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Dirndl | The traditional women’s dress: bodice, blouse, skirt and apron | Shop windows, rental counters, and on plenty of visitors who are not required to wear one4 |
| Lederhosen | Traditional leather breeches for men, in goat, deer or cowhide | The same shops and the same optional context as the dirndl4 |
| Tracht | The general term for traditional Bavarian dress | Used as an umbrella term for both dirndl and lederhosen45 |
| Mieder / Leiberl | The fitted bodice of a dirndl | Retailer size guides and fit descriptions12 |
| Schleife | The bow tied on a dirndl’s apron | The subject of the (unofficial) left/right meaning game4 |
| Charivari | An ornamental chain worn on lederhosen or a Tracht jacket | Described by oktoberfest.de as “the most rustic costume accessory on the Wiesn outfit”5 |
| Loferl | Two-piece calf socks worn with short lederhosen | Paired with Haferlschuhe on a full men’s outfit54 |
| Janker | A traditional wool or loden jacket | Formal Tracht, more than tent wear4 |
| Haferlschuhe | Sturdy, side-laced traditional shoes | Worn with Loferl as part of a complete men’s outfit4 |
| Rieglhaube | A traditional Bavarian headdress | Documented by the Trachtenverband Bayern alongside Loferl and lace13 |
| Kniebundhose | Knee-length lederhosen, as opposed to short or full-length | Shop size and style charts14 |
| Hirschleder | Deerskin, a premium lederhosen material | Priced separately from goat or cowhide at Munich Tracht shops14 |
| Lange Dirndl | A full-length, floor-length dirndl style | Munich Tracht shop style categories15 |
| Midi Dirndl | A knee-to-calf-length dirndl style | Munich Tracht shop style categories15 |
| Ärmeldirndl | A dirndl with sleeves attached, rather than worn over a separate blouse | Munich Tracht shop style categories15 |
| Samt-Dirndl | Velvet dirndl | A premium-fabric style category at Munich shops15 |
| Vegetabil (Green Line) | Vegetable-tanned, more sustainably produced leather lederhosen | A named product line at Angermaier16 |
Source: muenchen.de4; oktoberfest.de dirndl-tracht5; retailer sites1213141516.
Rules and institutions
| Word | Meaning | Where you’ll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Kraxe (Kraxen) | A baby-carrier backpack | Always allowed, even on the days strollers are banned17 |
| Cannabisfolgenbegrenzungsgesetz | Bavaria’s cannabis-consequences law, which bans cannabis consumption at folk festivals like Oktoberfest | Cited in 2026 rules coverage; fines run €1,500 to over €5,0008 |
| Trachtenverband Bayern | Bavaria’s traditional-dress association, which documents genuine Tracht customs | The source for real folk-costume history, as opposed to popular retellings13 |
Source: oktoberfest.de 10 golden rules17; Euronews8; Trachtenverband Bayern13.
Resi says Not every word repeated about Oktoberfest is documented folklore, and this is my favorite proof of it: the Trachtenverband Bayern, the actual keepers of Bavarian costume history, publish detailed pages on Loferl, headdresses and lace, and nothing at all on the dirndl apron bow. An association that catalogs lace patterns for a living did not simply forget to write that one down; there was nothing old to document. My what to wear page goes through that specific claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Wiesn" mean?
It is short for Theresienwiese, the meadow the festival is held on, and it is how Munich actually refers to Oktoberfest day to day.
What does "O'zapft is" mean?
“It’s tapped,” the phrase shouted when Munich’s mayor taps the first keg at the Schottenhamel tent at noon on opening day.
How big is a Maß?
One liter, or 33.8 fl oz, the standard beer size served in every Oktoberfest tent.
What is a Charivari?
The ornamental chain worn on lederhosen or a traditional jacket, which oktoberfest.de calls the most rustic accessory on the Wiesn outfit.
What is the Oide Wiesn?
The old-fashioned, nostalgic corner of the festival, running since 2010, with its own small entrance fee and vintage rides.
Is there an actual law about cannabis at Oktoberfest?
Yes. Bavaria’s Cannabisfolgenbegrenzungsgesetz bans cannabis consumption at folk festivals, with fines from €1,500 for a first offense to over €5,000 for repeat offenses.
Related Articles
Sources
- FAQs for Wiesn visitors — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Oktoberfest tapping and opening ceremony — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Beer price — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Outfit, costumes, dresses, lederhosen — muenchen.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Dirndl & Tracht — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Eat and drink — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- How many calories are in the Oktoberfest classics — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Oktoberfest 2026: all the rules visitors need to know — Euronews. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- The Oide Wiesn — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Oktoberfest visitor FAQ — muenchen.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Booking Oktoberfest: book a table — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- What is a dirndl dress: decoding tradition, style and everything in between — eLederhosen. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Trachtenpflege und Trachtenforschung — Trachtenverband Bayern. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Lodenfrey — Herren Trachten Lederhosen — Lodenfrey. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Lodenfrey — Damen Trachten Dirndl — Lodenfrey. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Angermaier — Herren Lederhosen — Trachten Angermaier. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- 10 golden rules for Oktoberfest — oktoberfest.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.