Feliz Navidad
/feliθ nabidad/from spelling rules
Feliz Navidad is the Spanish phrase for happy Christmas.
Feliz Navidad is the standard greeting used to wish someone a joyful Christmas holiday. It is often used as a standalone exclamation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of feliz meaning happy and Navidad meaning Christmas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to say Felices Fiestas to mean "Happy Holidays".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, it is common to use exclamation marks at both the beginning and the end of the phrase, like ¡Feliz Navidad!, to express enthusiasm. You may also say Espero que encuentres mucha alegría en esta temporada to mean "I hope you find much joy this season".
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the most important gift-giving event is not Christmas, but Día de los Reyes Magos on January 6.
- The word Navidad comes from the Latin word nātīvitātem, meaning 'birth'. This makes the phrase literally a wish for a 'happy birth'.
- The word feliz is a cognate of the English word 'felicitous', though it is much more common in everyday Spanish than its English relative.
Examples in context
- ¡Feliz Navidad!Happy Christmas!This example is useful for seeing how to use the phrase Feliz Navidad as an exclamation.Tatoeba #2889 by Raimondi, translation #1879788 by Asma
- ¡Feliz Navidad! Espero que esta época esté llena de amor, paz y felicidad para ti y tus seres queridos. Que todos tus deseos se hagan realidad en esta Navidad y el próximo año. ¡Disfruta al máximo de las fiestas!Merry Christmas! I hope this season is filled with love, peace, and happiness for you and your loved ones. May all your wishes come true this Christmas and the coming year. Enjoy the holidays to the fullest!
- ¡Feliz Navidad a toda la familia!Merry Christmas to the whole family!
Example conversation
A phone call between two friends during the holiday season.
- MaríaHola Javier, ¡Feliz Navidad!Hello Javier, Merry Christmas!
- JavierGracias María, igualmente para ti.Thanks Maria, same to you.
- María¿Cómo vas a celebrar?How are you going to celebrate?
- JavierCon una cena en casa.With a dinner at home.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Navidad, feliz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
