geseënde Kersfees
geseënde Kersfees is the Afrikaans way to say Merry Christmas.
The phrase is used to offer good wishes during the Christmas season. While it is the standard greeting, it translates more closely to the English phrase "Blessed Christmas".
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word geseënde literally means "blessed".
Which one should you use?
While English speakers typically say "merry", the standard Afrikaans greeting geseënde Kersfees uses the concept of being "blessed".
Did you know?
- Because South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, geseënde Kersfees is traditionally associated with hot summer weather and outdoor braais rather than snow and fireplaces.
- The double dots over the ë in geseënde are called a trema and indicate that the second 'e' must be pronounced as a separate syllable.
- If you want to say 'Merry Christmas' in a more casual, secular way, many South Africans simply use the English phrase instead of the Afrikaans one.
Examples in context
- Lekker Kersfees, geniet dit!Merry Christmas, have a wonderful time
- Ek wens jou 'n geseënde Kersfees.I wish you a merry Christmas.
- Mag julle 'n geseënde Kersfees hê.May you all have a merry Christmas.
Example conversation
Liezel and Stefan are greeting each other at a family gathering.
- LiezelGeseënde Kersfees, Stefan!Merry Christmas, Stefan!
- StefanDankie, Liezel, vir jou ook.Thanks, Liezel, to you too.
- LiezelGeniet die dag saam met die familie.Enjoy the day with the family.
- StefanJy ook, dit gaan heerlik wees.You too, it is going to be wonderful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry christmas” translations and entries geseënde Kersfees, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
