god jul
/ɡuː jʉːl/
Merry Christmas in Norwegian is said as god jul. Wiktionary also lists gledelig jul and gledeleg jul.
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA |
|---|---|
| god jul | /ɡuː jʉːl/ |
| gledelig jul | |
| gledeleg jul |
These phrases are used to offer good wishes during the Christmas season.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase god jul literally translates to 'good Christmas'.
Which one should you use?
While god jul is the standard way to say 'Merry Christmas', gledelig jul is a slightly more formal alternative meaning 'joyful Christmas'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase gledelig jul is mainly used in Western Norway, particularly in areas such as Bergen and Stavanger.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase god jul, the adjective god (good) is in its indefinite singular masculine form to match the noun jul.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡuː jʉːl/
Did you know?
- In Norway, Christmas traditions often involve julebord, large holiday feasts where god jul is toasted among colleagues.
- The root of the word god comes from a Proto-Indo-European term meaning 'to join' or 'to unite'.
Examples in context
- God jul!Merry Christmas!This example shows how to use the phrase god jul.Tatoeba #5708336 by Meggie, translation #1723 by brauliobezerra
- Ha en god jul! Kos dere!Have a Merry Christmas! Enjoy yourselves!
- Jeg ønsker deg god jul.I wish you a merry Christmas.
- Vi sier god jul til alle.We say merry Christmas to everyone.
Example conversation
Ingrid and Kristoffer are saying goodbye to each other before the Christmas holidays.
- IngridHa en god jul, Kristoffer!Have a merry Christmas, Kristoffer!
- KristofferTakk, og god jul til deg også, Ingrid.Thank you, and merry Christmas to you too, Ingrid.
- IngridTakk skal du ha.Thank you very much.
- KristofferVi snakkes etter nyttår.We will talk after the New Year.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry Christmas” translations and entries god jul, gledeleg jul, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gledeleg, gledeleg jul, god, jul, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
