selamat hari Natal
Merry Christmas in Malay is expressed as selamat hari Natal. Wiktionary also lists selamat Natal.
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Malay |
|---|
| selamat hari Natal |
| selamat Natal |
This phrase is used to offer good wishes during the Christmas season.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'happy/safe day of Christmas'. The word selamat is a versatile term used as a prefix for many holiday greetings in Malay to mean 'happy', 'safe' or 'congratulations'.
Which one should you use?
selamat hari Natal is slightly more formal or complete than the shortened selamat Natal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word selamat acts as a prefix in many Malay holiday greetings to convey a sense of being happy or blessed.
Did you know?
- The term Natal in Malay is a linguistic fossil from Portuguese contact, rather than being a direct loan from Latin or English.
Examples in context
- Selamat hari Natal kepada semua.Merry Christmas to everyone.
- Saya ingin mengucapkan selamat hari Natal.I want to wish you a merry Christmas.
- Selamat hari Natal, kawan!Merry Christmas, friend!
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a shopping mall in December.
- NurHai Ahmad! Selamat hari Natal!Hi Ahmad! Merry Christmas!
- AhmadTerima kasih, Nur. Selamat hari Natal juga!Thank you, Nur. Merry Christmas to you too!
- NurKamu ada rancangan hari ini?Do you have plans today?
- AhmadYa, saya akan melawat keluarga saya.Yes, I am going to visit my family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry Christmas” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Natal, hari, selamat, CC BY-SA 4.0.
