Natal
/naˈtaw/masculine
Christmas in Portuguese is Natal.
Natal refers to the festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. To refer to Christmas Eve, use the phrase véspera de Natal.
Meaning: festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 in most places (name)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Azores, the expression Boas Festas! is used to wish 'Happy Holidays'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Natal is a masculine noun and is almost always used with the definite article o when referring to the holiday.
How do you pronounce it?
/naˈtaw/
Did you know?
- In South Africa, the province of KwaZulu-Natal owes its name to the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, who arrived there on Christmas Day in 1497.
- In Brazil the Christmas season is often associated with summer heat and beach trips since it occurs during the Southern Hemisphere summer.
- The Portuguese word Natal is a doublet of the word 'Noel', meaning they share the same linguistic origin despite looking different.
Examples in context
- Eu amo o Natal.I love Christmas.This sentence shows how to express love for Natal.Tatoeba #5691814 by bill, translation #2380204 by CK
- Hoje não é Natal!Today's not Christmas!This sentence is useful for stating that today is not Natal.Tatoeba #4637698 by Ricardo14, translation #2945013 by mervert1
- Tom odeia o Natal.Tom hates Christmas.This sentence shows how to express hatred for Natal.Tatoeba #6564788 by heo598, translation #6563572 by Hybrid
- 310 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Camila are talking about their holiday plans.
- GabrielVocê vai viajar no Natal?Are you traveling for Christmas?
- CamilaNão, vou passar o Natal com minha família.No, I'm spending Christmas with my family.
- GabrielQue legal! O Natal é a minha época favorita.That's great! Christmas is my favorite time.
- CamilaEu também adoro o Natal.I love Christmas too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “christmas” translations and entries Natal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Natal, natal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
