عيد ميلاد مجيد
ʿīd mīlād majīdformal, Christmas
The standard Arabic greeting for Christmas is عيد ميلاد مجيد (ʿīd mīlād majīd), "glorious feast of the birth". Many people also say كريسماس مجيد (krismas majīd).
Meaning: Christmas greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عيد ميلاد مجيد | ʿīd mīlād majīd | formal, Christmas |
| كريسماس مجيد | krismas majīd | casual, Christmas |
Both greetings are understood in Qatar, where they are mainly used toward Christian friends and colleagues. A common reply is وأنتم بخير (wa-antum bi-khayr), "and you as well".
Which one should you use?
عيد ميلاد مجيد (ʿīd mīlād majīd) is the form you will see on cards and in the news. كريسماس مجيد (krismas majīd) borrows the English word and sounds more casual.
When do people say it?
Christmas is not a public holiday in Qatar, where the main holidays are the two Eids and National Day, so the greeting is a personal courtesy.
Did you know?
- The Arabic word for Christmas, الميلاد (al-mīlād), simply means "the birth", and مجيد (majīd) means "glorious".
Examples in context
- عيد ميلاد مجيدʿīd mīlād majīdMerry Christmas.
- كريسماس مجيد لك ولعائلتكkrismas majīd laka wa-li-ʿāʾilatikMerry Christmas to you and your family.
Example conversation
Yousef greets his Christian colleague Mary at the office in Doha.
- Yousefعيد ميلاد مجيد يا ماريʿīd mīlād majīd yā MārīMerry Christmas, Mary.
- Maryشكرا يوسف، وأنتم بخيرshukran Yūsuf, wa-antum bi-khayrThank you, Yousef, and the same to you.
- Yousefأتمنى لك عطلة حلوةatamannā laki ʿuṭla ḥilwaI wish you a lovely break.
