Home » How to Say “Merry Christmas” in Ukrainian

Oct 16 2025

How to Say “Merry Christmas” in Ukrainian

З Різдвом Христовим та Новим роком – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Kyiv City Skyline with St. Sophia Cathedral, Golden Gates, Christmas Star, Angels and Gift Boxes. | Viktoria Win

If you want to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Ukrainian, there are several warm and meaningful ways to do it. Ukrainian Christmas greetings range from simple phrases you can use in a card or text message to traditional Christian greetings that have been passed down through generations.

The easiest phrase to remember is:

Веселого Різдва!
Veseloho Rizdva!
Merry Christmas!

But that is only the beginning. Here’s how to say Merry Christmas in Ukrainian, pronounce the greeting, and add a few other festive Ukrainian expressions to your holiday vocabulary.

🎄 How Do You Say “Merry Christmas” in Ukrainian?

One of the most straightforward ways to say Merry Christmas in Ukrainian is:

Веселого Різдва!

Transliteration: Veseloho Rizdva!
Meaning: Merry Christmas!

A simple English-friendly pronunciation would be approximately:

veh-SEH-lo-ho rizd-VAH

The Ukrainian word Різдво (Rizdvo) means Christmas and is closely connected with the idea of birth or the Nativity.

You may also commonly hear:

З Різдвом!

Transliteration: Z Rizdvom!
Meaning: Merry Christmas! / With Christmas!

This is a very natural Ukrainian Christmas greeting. A slightly longer and more explicitly Christian version is:

З Різдвом Христовим!

Transliteration: Z Rizdvom Khrystovym!
Meaning: Merry Christmas! / With the Nativity of Christ!

All three greetings can be appropriate, although Веселого Різдва! is especially easy for English speakers learning their first Ukrainian Christmas phrase.

🗣️ Ukrainian Christmas Greetings at a Glance

UkrainianTransliterationEnglish Meaning
Веселого Різдва!Veseloho Rizdva!Merry Christmas!
З Різдвом!Z Rizdvom!Merry Christmas!
З Різдвом Христовим!Z Rizdvom Khrystovym!Merry Christmas / With the Nativity of Christ!
Щасливого Різдва!Shchaslyvoho Rizdva!Happy Christmas!
Веселих свят!Veselykh sviat!Happy Holidays!
З Новим роком!Z Novym rokom!Happy New Year!

✨ A Traditional Ukrainian Christmas Greeting

For a more traditional Ukrainian Christmas greeting, you may hear:

Христос народився!

Transliteration: Khrystos narodyvsia!
Meaning: Christ is born!

The traditional response is:

Славімо Його!

Transliteration: Slavimo Yoho!
Meaning: Let us glorify Him! / Glory to Him!

So a Christmas exchange might sound like:

Person 1: Христос народився!
Christ is born!

Person 2: Славімо Його!
Let us glorify Him!

This greeting reflects the strong Christian traditions associated with Christmas in Ukrainian culture.

🎁 How to Say “Happy Holidays” in Ukrainian

If you want a broader seasonal greeting rather than specifically saying Merry Christmas, you can say:

Веселих свят!

Transliteration: Veselykh sviat!
Meaning: Happy Holidays!

This phrase can be useful throughout the Christmas and New Year season.

🎆 How to Say “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” in Ukrainian

Christmas greetings are often combined with New Year wishes.

Happy New Year in Ukrainian is:

З Новим роком!

Transliteration: Z Novym rokom!

To wish someone both a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, you could write:

Веселого Різдва та щасливого Нового року!

Transliteration: Veseloho Rizdva ta shchaslyvoho Novoho roku!

Meaning: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This makes a lovely message for a Christmas card, email, social media post, or holiday greeting.

💌 Ukrainian Christmas Messages for Cards

If you are sending Christmas wishes to Ukrainian friends or family, you can keep your message simple.

Simple Christmas Greeting

Веселого Різдва!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas and New Year Greeting

Веселого Різдва та щасливого Нового року!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Warm Holiday Greeting

Веселих свят!

Happy Holidays!

Traditional Religious Greeting

З Різдвом Христовим!

Merry Christmas / Blessings on the Nativity of Christ!

Even if the rest of your card is written in English, adding one of these Ukrainian phrases can make the greeting feel much more personal.

🇺🇦 Christmas in Ukrainian Culture

Christmas, known as Різдво (Rizdvo), has deep cultural and religious importance in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Christmas celebrations are known for traditions such as kutia, a ceremonial dish commonly made with wheat, poppy seeds, honey, and other ingredients. Another traditional symbol is the didukh, a decorative sheaf of grain associated with ancestry, harvest, and family heritage.

Christmas caroling is another important tradition. Ukrainian Christmas carols are known as колядки (koliadky), and groups of carolers may visit homes singing traditional songs and offering Christmas wishes.

Nativity plays, festive meals, church services, family gatherings, and regional customs all contribute to Ukraine’s rich Christmas heritage.

📅 When Is Christmas Celebrated in Ukraine?

Christmas in modern Ukraine is officially observed on December 25.

In 2023, Ukrainian legislation established December 25 as the Christmas holiday, reflecting broader calendar changes taking place among major Ukrainian churches and communities.

Christmas customs can still vary between families and regions, however, and Ukraine’s long history means that different calendar traditions have influenced Christmas celebrations over the years.

Regardless of the date or particular family tradition, Різдво remains one of Ukraine’s most culturally significant holidays.

🔔 The Ukrainian Connection to “Carol of the Bells”

Ukraine has also given the world one of the most recognizable melodies of the Christmas season.

The famous “Carol of the Bells” is based on the Ukrainian song “Shchedryk,” composed by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych using a traditional Ukrainian folk chant.

Interestingly, the original Ukrainian lyrics were not about Christmas bells. The song was associated with the Ukrainian tradition of shchedruvannia, or singing seasonal well-wishing songs.

English lyrics about Christmas bells were later added to the melody, helping transform it into the internationally famous Christmas song heard around the world today.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common way to say Merry Christmas in Ukrainian?

You can say Веселого Різдва! (Veseloho Rizdva!), meaning Merry Christmas!

Another very common greeting is З Різдвом! (Z Rizdvom!).

How do you pronounce Веселого Різдва?

A simple approximation for English speakers is:

veh-SEH-lo-ho rizd-VAH

The exact Ukrainian pronunciation contains sounds that do not correspond perfectly to English.

What does Різдво mean?

Різдво (Rizdvo) means Christmas and refers to the Nativity or birth of Christ.

How do Ukrainians say Happy New Year?

З Новим роком! (Z Novym rokom!) means Happy New Year!

How do you say Happy Holidays in Ukrainian?

Say:

Веселих свят! (Veselykh sviat!)

It translates approximately as Happy Holidays!

What is the traditional religious Ukrainian Christmas greeting?

A traditional greeting is:

Христос народився! — Christ is born!

The response is:

Славімо Його! — Let us glorify Him!

🎅 Final Thoughts

Learning how to say Merry Christmas in Ukrainian is a small but meaningful way to share some holiday cheer.

For an easy greeting, remember:

Веселого Різдва! — Veseloho Rizdva! — Merry Christmas!

For something more traditional, try:

З Різдвом Христовим!

And if someone greets you with:

Христос народився!

you’ll know how to respond:

Славімо Його!

Whether you’re writing a Christmas card, messaging a Ukrainian friend, traveling during the holidays, or simply learning Christmas greetings from around the world, a few words of Ukrainian can make the season feel just a little more connected.

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