Merry Christmas in Basque
Eguberri on
Say it like this: eh-goo-BEH-rree ohn
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Basque, Merry Christmas is Eguberri on, said like eh-goo-BEH-rree ohn.
- Happy New Year is Urte berri on.
- People say it in Spain (Basque Country, Navarre), France (Northern Basque Country).
What Eguberri on means
Word for word it is 'Eguberri' (Christmas) plus 'on' (good). Eguberri is built from 'egun' (day) and 'berri' (new), so Christmas is the 'new day'.
Other ways to say it in Basque
Happy New Year
Urte berri on
Say it like this: OOR-teh BEH-rree ohn
good new year, word for word 'year new good'
To write in a Christmas card
Eguberri on eta urte berri on
Say it like this: eh-goo-BEH-rree ohn EH-tah OOR-teh BEH-rree ohn
Where people speak Basque
Spain (Basque Country, Navarre)France (Northern Basque Country)
Basque (euskara) belongs to the Language isolate, not related to any other living language language family.
Say it with Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train to more than 100 places and teaches kids how to say Merry Christmas at every stop. Practice Basque today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Basque
- Olentzero brings presents: On the night of December 24, Olentzero comes to Basque homes and leaves presents for children. He is a big, friendly charcoal burner in a beret and farmer's clothes, who smokes a pipe and has a huge appetite.[1][2]
- Parades and Olentzero carols: On Christmas Eve, groups of people and children carry a figure of Olentzero on a chair through the streets. They sing Olentzero carols and collect food or sweets from neighbours along the way.[1]
- The legend of the giants: One common version of an old story says Olentzero was one of the Jentillak, a race of giants who lived in the Pyrenees mountains. Legend says they once saw a glowing cloud in the sky. There are several tellings of the story.[1]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Basque
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- EstonianHäid jõule
- FinnishHyvää joulua
- SlovakVeselé Vianoce
- RussianС Рождеством!
- CatalanBon Nadal
- LatinFelix dies Nativitatis
- LatvianPriecīgus Ziemassvētkus
- BulgarianВесела Коледа
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Basque?
The most common way to say Merry Christmas in Basque is Eguberri on. It is pronounced "eh-goo-BEH-rree ohn". Basque speakers use it in person, in messages and on cards. Basque is a very old language that is not related to Spanish or French, so its words look quite different from those of its neighbours.[3]
How do you pronounce Merry Christmas in Basque?
Say it like this: eh-goo-BEH-rree ohn. The capital letters show the stressed syllable, so say that part a little louder and longer. Basque letters are mostly like Spanish ones: the e is eh, the u is oo, and the rr is rolled. Stress can vary a little between regions, but eh-goo-BEH-rree is a good everyday way to say it.
What does Merry Christmas mean word for word in Basque?
Word for word it is 'Eguberri' (Christmas) plus 'on' (good). Eguberri is built from 'egun' (day) and 'berri' (new), so Christmas is the 'new day'. Egun-berri, the new day, is also the Basque name for Christmas itself, so the greeting wishes you a good new day.[3]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Basque?
Write it as Eguberri on. Basque uses the Latin alphabet, with letters like tx, ts and rr that are single sounds. Eguberri is capitalised as the holiday name at the start of a sentence, and on is lowercase.
How do you say Happy New Year in Basque?
Happy New Year in Basque is Urte berri on, pronounced "OOR-teh BEH-rree ohn". It means good new year, word for word 'year new good'. The pattern is the same as the Christmas wish: a noun, the word berri (new) and the word on (good). On cards you will see both wishes joined by eta, meaning and.[4]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Basque?
Eguberri on is warm and polite and works with everyone, from friends to teachers, so there is no separate formal form for children to learn. A longer written message may add wishes for peace and health.[3]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Basque?
Basque speakers say it in December, especially on and after Christmas Eve, on cards and in messages. It is also used at school before the holidays and when saying goodbye in late December, and it fits in a text or a video call.[3]
Which day is the main Christmas celebration for Basque speakers: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Eve, December 24, is very important in the Basque Country because Olentzero comes that night to bring presents. Christmas Day, December 25, is a family holiday. Many families also celebrate the Three Kings on January 5 and 6.[1][2]
What is Olentzero?
Olentzero is the Basque Christmas gift bringer. He is pictured as a big, cheerful charcoal burner in a beret and farmer's clothes, with a pipe and a huge appetite. On Christmas Eve children sing the Olentzero song, and in many towns a figure of him arrives on a cart or a chair and people follow him through the streets.[1][2]
How can I teach Merry Christmas in Basque to kids?
Teach Eguberri on by telling the Olentzero story. Let children dress a doll in a beret, carry it around the room and sing a short song, then shout Eguberri on at the end. The story makes the new words easier to remember.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonSources
We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- Olentzero, Wikipedia
- Christmas in Spain, WhyChristmas.com
- Merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- Happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
