Say Merry Christmas in Different Languages
Are you curious about how they say "Merry Christmas" around the world? Every December, people of virtually all cultures take a moment or two out of their busy lives to offer a simple seasonal greeting of joy and peace. For Americans, it's "Merry Christmas." In France, it's "Joyeux Noël," and in China, it's "圣诞快乐." In Germany, it's "Frohliche Weihnachten". Would you like to greet the world this next Christmas season? Keep reading for detailed instructions.
Contents
Steps
Merry Christmas by Dialect
- Merry Christmas! This is the common phrase in a number of countries around the world, including:
- United States
- Canada
- England
- It's also what they say on Christmas Island, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Fiji, and if you happen to be there this time of year, be sure to say Merry Christmas in Antarctica!
- Nollaig Shona Dhuit! Ireland has their own way for so many things, and the greetings of the season is no exclusion!
- Feliz Natal/ Boas Festas! This is virtually said throughout every Lusophone nation. From Brazil in South America to Timor Leste in Indonesia.
- In Portugal and in some Portuguese speaking African countries, they say Boas Festas!
- Feliz Navidad! Yes, you'll hear it in Las Vegas, thank you Jose Feliciano! This is also how you'll want to wish them a Merry Christmas from the bottom of your heart in virtually every Spanish-speaking country (though not necessarily with musical accompaniment):
- The Iberian Peninsula, including Spain and Gibraltar;
- Mexico and Central America, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama;
- South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
- Joyeux Noël! For Francophiles, Joyeux Noël is the greeting of the season, and you will hear it or say it in a number of places around the world.
- France, of course, and also in much of Canada.
- You'll also hear it quite a lot in African nations during your visits to Burkina Faso, Burundi, and Cameroon, or when hanging out in Chad, The Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, or Togo
- Zalig Kerstfeest! is the greeting you'll hear in Dutch-speaking countries.
- In Belgium, Zalig Kerstfeest would be the right thing to say to anybody.
- In the Netherlands, you have options. You can say "Prettige Kerstdagen," "Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar," (tossing in a "Happy New Year" for good measure) or, of course, "Zalig Kerstfeest!"
- Fröhliche Weihnachten! will bring a smile to the face of Germans, and if you happen to be in Liechtenstein it will be warmly received there as well. In Switzerland, there's a slight variation; there, they say "Fröhlichi Wiehnacht!"
- If you're in Austria, you have less of a mouthful to say: it's simply "Frohe Weihnachten."
- Buon Natale! is Italian for Merry Christmas, but be sure to say it with gusto! You can also say this without pause in San Marino, and when pressed in Libya.
- Milad Mubarak! The Middle East is not without its Christmas tidings, subdued though they may often be.
- You'll find them wishing you "Milad Mubarak!" in Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen, and when spending a night in Tunisia.
- "Natal Mubarak" is the Indian variant, and in Pakistan, say "Bara Din Mubarrak Ho!" (not "Ho Ho Ho").
- Mo'adim Lesimkha! Lest we forget, this is how you say "Merry Christmas" in Israel.
- Gëzuar Krishlindjet! There is only one place in the entire world that says this, and that is Albania. "Gëzuar" is also how they say "cheers!" or "bottoms up!" when tippling the eggnog!
- In Albania's next door neighbor, Greece, they say "Eftihismena Christougenna!"
- Sretan Bozic! Is de rigueur in Croatia, but if you're heading to Eastern Europe, there are as many variants as there are nations.
- In the Czech Republic, say "Vesele Vanoce!" In Serbia, "Hristos se rodi! Srećan Božić" In Slovenia, you would say "Srecen bozic," and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Sretam Bozic, Hristos se Rodi!"
- Merii Kurisumasu! This is how they say Merry Christmas in Japan. And lest we give a lump of coal to other Asian nations:
- In Hong Kong, say "Sing dan fiy loc," and in Korea say "Sung Tan Chuk Ha." In Mandarin Chinese, take a deep breath and say "Kung His Hsin Nien Bing Chu Shen Tan."
- Down south, they say "Chuc Mung Giang Sinh" in Viet Nam, and in Thailand they say "Sawasdee Pee Mai."
- There's More! There are nearly 200 countries in the world today, so we're also offering an alphabetical list of nations and the way (or ways) they say Merry Christmas in each of them.
- One thing to keep in mind when struggling to remember the right thing to say: in most every country in the world, there's one phrase that will be recognized no mater what the native language might be:
- Merry Christmas!
Alphabetical List
- A
- Afghanistan: De Christmas akhtar de bakhtawar au newai kal de mubarak sha
- Albania: Gëzuar Krishlindjet
- Algeria: Milad Mubarak
- American Samoa: - La Maunia Le Kilisimasi
- Andorra: Bon Nadal
- Angola: Boas Festas
- Antarctica: Merry Christmas, Felices Pasquas, Hristos Razdajetsja
- Antigua and Barbuda: Merry Christmas
- Arabic: I'd Miilad Said Oua Sana Saida
- Argentina: Feliz Navidad!
- Armenia: Shnorhavor Sourp Dzunount
- Aruba: Bon Pasco, Bon Anja
- Australia: Happy Christmas
- Austria: Frohe Weihnachten
- Azerbaijan: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
- B
- Bahamas: Happy Christmas
- Bahrain: Milad Mubarak
- Bangladesh: Shuvo Baro Din
- Barbados: Merry Christmas
- Belarus: Winshuyu sa Svyatkami
- Belgium: Zalig Kerstfeest
- Belize: Merry Christmas
- Benin: Joyeux Noël
- Bermuda: Merry Christmas
- Bhutan: krist Yesu Ko Shuva Janma Utsav Ko Upalaxhma Hardik Shuva
- Bolivia: Feliz Navidad
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sretam Bozic, Hristos se rodi
- Botswana: Merry Christmas
- Brazil: Feliz Natal
- British Indian Ocean Territory: Happy Christmas
- Brunei Darussalam: Selamat Hari Natal
- Bulgaria: Vessela Koleda
- Burkina Faso: Joyeux Noël
- Burundi: Noëli Nziza, Joyeux Noël
- C
- Cambodia: rikreay thngai nauel
- Cameroon: Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël
- Canada: Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël
- Cape Verde: Boas Festas
- Cayman Islands: Merry Christmas
- Central African Republic: Joyeux Noël
- Chad: Joyeux Noël, Milad Mubarak
- Chile: Feliz Navidad China Sheng Tan Kuai Loh
- Chinese (Mandarin): Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
- Christmas Island: Merry Christmas
- Colombia: Feliz Navidad para todos
- Comoros: Joyeux Noël, Milad Mubarak
- Congo: Joyeux Noël
- Cook Islands: Merry Christmas, Kia orana e kia manuia rava i teia Kiritime
- Costa Rica: Feliz Navidad
- Côte d'Ivoire: Joyeux Noël
- Croatia: Sretan Bozic
- Cuba: Feliz Navidad
- Cyprus: Eftihismena Christougenna, Noëliniz kutlu olsun ve yeni yili
- Czech Republic: Vesele Vanoce
- D
- Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
- Denmark: Glaedelig Jul
- Djibouti: Joyeux Noël, Milad Mubarak
- Dominica: Merry Christmas
- Dominican Republic: Feliz Navidad
- E
- Ecuador: Feliz Navidad
- Egypt: Milad Mubarak
- El Salvador: Feliz Navidad
- Equatorial Guinea: Joyeux Noël, Feliz Navidad
- Eritrea: Melkam Yelidet Beaal, Poket Kristmet
- Estonia: Haid Joule, Rôômsaid Jôule
- Ethiopia: Melkam Yelidet Beaal, Poket Kristmet, Merry Christmas
- F
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas): Merry Christmas
- Faroe Islands: Gledhilig jol
- Federated States of Micronesia: Merry Christmas
- Fiji: Merry Christmas
- Filipino: Maligayang Pasko
- Finland: Hauskaa Joulua
- France: Joyeux Noël
- French Guiana: Joyeux Noël
- French Polynesia: Joyeux Noël, La ora i te Noera
- French Southern Territories: Joyeux Noël
- G
- Gabon: Joyeux Noël
- Gambia: Merry Christmas
- Georgia: Gilotsavt Krist'es Shobas
- Germany: Fröhliche Weihnachten
- Ghana: Afishapa
- Gibraltar: Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad
- Greece: Kala Christougenna
- Greenland: Glædelig Jul, Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit
- Grenada: Merry Christmas
- Guadeloupe: Joyeux Noël
- Guam: Merry Christmas, Felis Pasgua
- Guatemala: Feliz Navidad
- Guinea: Joyeux Noël
- Guinea-bissau: Boas Festas
- Guyana: Merry Christmas
- H
- Haiti: Jwaye Nwel
- Hindi: Shubh Christmas
- Honduras: Feliz Navidad
- Hong Kong: Sing dan fiy loc, Merry Christmas
- Hungary: Boldog Karácsonyt
- I
- Iceland: Gleðileg Jól
- India: Natal Mubarak
- Indonesia: Selamat Hari Natal
- Iraq: Idah Saidan Wasanah Jadidah
- Ireland: Nollaig Shona Dhuit
- Israel: Mo'adim Lesimkha
- Italy: Buon Natale
- J
- Jamaica: Merry Christmas
- Japan: Merii Kurisumasu
- Jordan: Milad Mubarak, Merry Christmas
- K
- Kazakhstan: Hristos Razdajetsja, Rozdjestvom Hristovim
- Kenya: Merry Christmas
- Kiribati: Merry Christmas
- Konkani: Khuxalborit Natalam
- Korean: Jeulgeoun Seongtanjeol Bonaesaeyo
- Kuwait: Milad Mubarak, Merry Christmas
- Kyrgyzstan: Hristos Razdajetsja
- L
- Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
- Latvia: Priecigus ziemassvetkus!
- Lebanon: Milad Majeed
- Lesotho: Happy Christmas
- Liberia: Happy Christmas
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya: Milad Mubarak, Buon Natale, Happy Christmas
- Liechtenstein: Fröhliche Weihnachten
- Lithuania: Laimingų Kalėdų
- Luxembourg: Schéi Krëschtdeeg
- M
- Macau: Boas Festas, Sing Dan Fiy Loc
- Macedonia: Streken Bozhik
- Madagascar: Joyeux Noël, Arahaba tratry ny Krismasy
- Malawi: Merry Christmas, Moni Wa Chikondwelero Cha X'mas
- Malaysia: Selamat Hari Krimas
- Mali: Joyeux Noël
- Malta: Il-Milied it-Tajjeb, Festi t-Tajba
- Marshall islands: Monono ilo raaneoan Nejin
- Martinique: Joyeux Noël
- Mauritius: Merry Christmas
- Mayotte: Krismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpya, Joyeux Noël
- Mexico: Feliz Navidad
- Monaco: Joyeux Noël
- Montserrat: Merry Christmas
- Morocco: Milad Mubarak
- Mozambique: Boas Festas
- N
- Namibia: Geseende Kersfees
- Nepal: krist Yesu Ko Shuva Janma Utsav Ko Upalaxhma Hardik Shuva
- Netherlands: Prettige Kerstdagen, Zalig Kerstfeest, Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
- Netherlands Antilles: Bon Pasco, Bon Anja
- New Caledonia: Joyeux Noël
- New Zealand: Happy Christmas
- Nicaragua: Feliz Navidad
- Niger: Joyeux Noël
- Nigeria: Merry Christmas
- Norfolk Island: Merry Christmas
- Northern Mariana Islands: Filis Pasgua, Merry Christmas
- Norway: God Jul, Gledelig Jul
- O
- Oman: Milad Mubarak
- P
- Pakistan: Bara Din Mubarrak Ho
- Palau: Merry Christmas
- Panama: Feliz Navidad
- Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas
- Paraguay: Feliz Navidad
- Peru: Feliz Navidad
- Philippines: Maligayang Pasko
- Pitcairn: Merry Christmas
- Poland: Wesolych Swiat
- Portugal: Boas Festas
- Puerto Rico: Feliz Navidad, Felices Pascuas, Felicidades
- Q
- Qatar: Milad Mubarak
- R
- Republic of Korea: Sungtan Chukha
- Republic of Moldova: Craciun fericit si un An Nou fericit!
- Reunion: Joyeux Noël
- Romania: Craciun Fericit, Sarbatori Fericite
- Russian Federation: Hristos Razdajetsja, S Rozdjestvom Hristovim
- Rwanda: Noheli Nziza
- S
- Saint Kitts and Nevis: - Happy Christmas
- Saint Lucia: Happy Christmas
- Saint Vincent and The Grenadines: Happy Christmas
- Samoa: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
- San Marino: Buon Natale
- Sao Tome and Principe: Boas Festas
- Saudi Arabia: Milad Mubarak
- Senegal: Joyeux Noël
- Seychelles: Happy Christmas, Joyeux Noël
- Sierra Leone: Happy Christmas
- Singapore: Sheng Tan Kuai Loh, Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal, Happy Christmas
- Slovakia (Slovak Republic): Vesele Vianoce
- Slovenia: Srecen Bozic
- South Africa: Geseënde Kersfees, Happy Christmas
- South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands: Happy Christmas
- Spain: Feliz Navidad
- Sri Lanka: Subha nath thalak Vewa, Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
- St. Helena: Happy Christmas
- St. Pierre and Miquelon: Joyeux Noël
- Sudan: Wilujeng Natal
- Suriname: Zalig Kersfeest, Wang swietie Kresnetie
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands: Hristos Razdajetsja, Gledelig Jul
- Swaziland: Happy Christmas
- Sweden: God Jul
- Switzerland: Fröhlichi Wiehnacht, Joyeux Noël
- Syrian Arab Republic: Milad Mubarak
- T
- Taiwan: Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
- Thailand: Merry Christmas, Sawasdee Pee Mai
- Togo: Joyeux Noël
- Tokelau: Merry Christmas
- Tonga: Kilisimasi Fiefia
- Trinidad and Tobago: Happy Christmas
- Tunisia: Milad Mubarak
- Turks and Caicos Islands: Happy Christmas
- U
- Uganda: Webale Krismasi
- Ukraine: Veseloho Vam Rizdva
- United Arab Emirates: I'd miilad said oua sana saida
- United Kingdom: Merry Christmas, Happy Christmas, Nadolig Llawen
- United Republic of Tanzania: Krismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpya, Happy Christmas
- United States: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings
- Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
- Uruguay: Feliz Navidad
- V
- Vanuatu: Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël
- Venezuela: Feliz Navidad
- Viet Nam: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh (chúc mừng giáng sinh)
- Virgin Islands (British): Merry Christmas
- Virgin Islands (U.S.): Merry Christmas
- W
- Wallis and Futuna Islands: Joyeux Noël
- Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
- Y
- Yemen: Milad Mubarak
- Yugoslavia: Cestitamo Bozic
- Z
- Zambia: Happy Christmas
- Zimbabwe: Happy Christmas
Related Articles
- Say Words in Korean
- Say Common Words and Phrases in Portuguese
- Count to 10 in Korean
- Say Some Common Phrases and Words in Tagalog
- Say Merry Christmas in Swedish
