Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Crăciun | /krəˈtʃjun/ | neuter |
| Nașterea lui Isus Cristos | feminine | |
| Nașterea Domnului | feminine |
The word is used to refer to the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. To express doing something during the holiday, you can use the phrase de Crăciun to mean 'at' or 'on' Christmas. Common celebratory phrases include Crăciun Fericit for 'Merry Christmas' and Sărbători Fericite for 'Happy Holidays'.
What does it mean word for word?
The name for Santa Claus is Moş Crăciun, where Moş is an honorific title similar to 'Old Man' or 'Elder'.
Which one should you use?
Crăciun is the common name used in daily life. In contrast, Nașterea Domnului (The Nativity of the Lord) or Nașterea lui Isus Cristos are more formal, religious ways to refer to the holiday, often used in liturgical or official contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Crăciun is a neuter noun. You can add the definite article suffix -ul to create Crăciunul, which means 'the Christmas' (for example, Crăciunul este vesel – Christmas is joyful).
How do you pronounce it?
/krəˈtʃjun/
When do people say it?
A common way to describe the spirit of the season is Crăciunul este un moment de bucurie și comuniune, meaning 'Christmas is a time of joy and togetherness'. You might also encounter the phrase Colindători Veseli, which means 'Cheerful Carol Singers'.
Did you know?
- In some Slavic languages, the root of Crăciun refers specifically to the winter solstice rather than just the religious holiday.
Examples in context
- A venit Moş Crăciun.Father Christmas has come.This sentence uses Crăciun to mention Father Christmas.Tatoeba #7633965 by CataG, translation #10999694 by TheNightAvl
- Astăzi nu este Crăciunul.It's not Christmas today.This sentence uses Crăciun to state that it is not Christmas today.Tatoeba #9233248 by CataG, translation #2946714 by astyng
- Ce faci de obicei de Crăciun?What do you usually do on Christmas Day?This sentence uses Crăciun to ask about typical Christmas activities.Tatoeba #6609808 by CataG, translation #5705366 by CK
- Te invit să petrecem Crăciunul împreună.I invite you to spend Christmas together.
- Crăciunul este un moment special în România.Christmas is a special moment in Romania.
- Vă doresc un Crăciun fericit!I wish you a Merry Christmas!
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Andrei are discussing their holiday plans.
- MariaCând pleci acasă pentru Crăciun?When are you going home for Christmas?
- AndreiPlec vineri, înainte de Crăciun.I am leaving Friday, before Christmas.
- MariaVei cumpăra cadouri de Crăciun?Will you buy Christmas gifts?
- AndreiDa, Maria, cumpăr totul mâine.Yes, Maria, I am buying everything tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Christmas” translations and entries Crăciun, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Crăciun, Isus, lui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
