Ways to say it
| Serbian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Божић | Cyrillic, masculine | |
| Рождество | Roždestvo | Cyrillic, neuter |
| Božić | Latin, masculine | |
| Roždestvo | Latin, neuter |
The word refers to the festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. When you want to say 'on Christmas' or 'at Christmas' in a temporal sense, use the preposition на with the accusative form Божић.
What does it mean word for word?
The term Божић is derived from the root бог (God) and a suffix indicating arrival or coming, literally meaning 'God's arrival' or 'God's coming'. The term Рождество is a compound of the root род (birth/kin) and a suffix indicating the act of being born, literally meaning 'Birth' or 'Nativity'.
Which one should you use?
While both words mean Christmas, Божић is the more common, everyday term used for the holiday. In contrast, Рождество is more formal and specifically refers to the Nativity or the Birth of Christ.
How does it change in a sentence?
Божић is a masculine noun, while Рождество is a neuter noun. When specifying a time, such as 'on Christmas', use the preposition на followed by the accusative form Божић.
Did you know?
- In Serbia, Божић is most commonly celebrated on January 7 rather than December 25 because the Serbian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar.
- A traditional Serbian custom during Божић involves 'badnjak', the ritual of burning an oak branch to symbolize the warmth and light of the holiday.
- The word Божић is technically a diminutive form of the word for 'God', making the name of the holiday a fond, endearing way to refer to the infant Jesus.
Examples in context
- Том је сам провео Божић.Tom spent Christmas on his own.This sentence shows how to use Божић to describe spending the holiday.Tatoeba #12413882 by Lebad, translation #7653921 by CK
- Шта си му купила за Божић?What have you bought him for Christmas?This sentence demonstrates using Божић when asking about gifts.Tatoeba #13574943 by cafoc64474, translation #11765627 by sundown
- Много људи иде у цркву на Божић.Many people go to church on Christmas.This sentence illustrates the use of Божић in the context of going to church.Tatoeba #8880168 by Lebad, translation #8871931 by CK
- Želim vam srećan Božić i uspešnu Novu godinu!I wish you a Merry Christmas and a successful New Year!
- Sretan Božić i sve najbolje u Novoj godini!Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marija and Marko are talking about their holiday plans.
- MarijaКада долазиш у посету за Божић?When are you coming to visit for Christmas?
- MarkoДолазим два дана пре Божића.I am coming two days before Christmas.
- MarijaТо је одлично, наћићемо се за Божић.That is great, we will see each other for Christmas.
- MarkoЈедва чекам да прославимо Божић заједно.I can't wait for us to celebrate Christmas together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Christmas” translations and entries Рождество, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Božić, Божић, Рождество, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
