buon Natale
/ˈbwɔn naˈta.le/
Merry Christmas in Italian is buon Natale.
The phrase is used to offer good wishes during the Christmas season.
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of buon (good) and Natale (Christmas).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is used as an interjection or a standalone greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈbwɔn naˈta.le/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In many Italian households, the greeting is often accompanied by the phrase Auguri!, which means 'Best wishes!' or 'Congratulations!'
- In Italy, the feast of Natale is traditionally preceded by the Vigilia, a Christmas Eve dinner that is strictly fish-based. This custom avoids meat until the day of Natale.
- The word Natale is actually a way of saying 'birthday', specifically referring to the birthday of Jesus.
Examples in context
- Buon Natale, amore mio!Merry Christmas, my love!This sentence shows how to use buon Natale when addressing a loved one.Tatoeba #1814299 by Guybrush88, translation #1320234 by Eldad
- Buon Natale e felice Anno Nuovo!Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!This sentence demonstrates combining buon Natale with a wish for the New Year.Tatoeba #5589416 by dnnywld, translation #925023 by zvaigzne
- Buon Natale a te e alla tua famiglia.Merry Christmas to you and your family.This sentence illustrates using buon Natale to wish someone and their family well.Tatoeba #3187010 by Guybrush88, translation #5679146 by CK
- Buon Natale!Merry Christmas!
- Auguro a Lei un sereno Natale!I wish you a peaceful Christmas!
- Con i migliori auguri per un felice e sereno Natale!With best wishes for a happy and peaceful Christmas!
- Tanti auguri di Buon Natale!Many wishes for a Merry Christmas!
- Felice Natale!Happy Christmas!
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Martina are meeting at a cafe during the holidays.
- FrancescoCiao Martina, buon Natale!Hi Martina, merry christmas!
- MartinaGrazie Francesco, anche a te!Thanks Francesco, to you too!
- FrancescoHai dei programmi per le feste?Do you have any plans for the holidays?
- MartinaSì, passerò il Natale con i miei genitori.Yes, I will spend Christmas with my parents.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry Christmas” translations and entries buon Natale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Natale, natale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
