bon Natali
masculine
bon Natali is the Sicilian way to say merry Christmas.
This 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 bon (good) and Natali (Christmas).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bon is in its masculine singular form to agree with the masculine noun Natali.
Did you know?
- The word Natali in Sicilian retains a stronger connection to the Latin 'natalis' (birthday) than the English 'Christmas', which comes from the Old English for 'Christ's Mass'.
- In Sicily, the greeting bon Natali is often accompanied by the tradition of eating cuccìa, a sweet dish made of boiled wheat berries and honey.
- In many Sicilian villages, the focus of the greeting is often shifted from the 'Birth' to the 'Holy Child', with people sometimes saying Bon Natali ô Bambinolu to emphasize the baby Jesus.
Examples in context
- Bon Natali a tutti voi.Merry Christmas to all of you.
- Ti auguru un bon Natali.I wish you a Merry Christmas.
- Bon Natali, caru amicu.Merry Christmas, dear friend.
Example conversation
Antonio and Giulia meet on the street during the holidays.
- AntonioCiao Giulia, bon Natali!Hello Giulia, merry Christmas!
- GiuliaGrazziu, Antonio! Pure a tia.Thank you, Antonio! To you too.
- AntonioHai fattu i regali?Have you done the gifts?
- GiuliaSì, su tutti pronti.Yes, they are all ready.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry Christmas” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
