Merry Christmas in Bosnian
Sretan Božić
Say it like this: SREH-tahn BOH-zheech
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Bosnian, Merry Christmas is Sretan Božić, said like SREH-tahn BOH-zheech.
- Happy New Year is Sretna Nova godina.
- People say it in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia (Sandžak), Croatia and more.
What Sretan Božić means
Word for word it is 'sretan' (happy) plus 'Božić' (Christmas). Serbian says Srećan Božić with a different letter in the first word.
Other ways to say it in Bosnian
Hristos se rodi
Say it like this: HREES-tos seh ROH-dee
Means 'Christ is born'. Used by Orthodox Christians on January 7, answered with 'Vaistinu se rodi', 'truly He is born'.
Happy New Year
Sretna Nova godina
Say it like this: SREHT-nah NOH-vah GOH-dee-nah
happy new year, word for word 'happy new year'
To write in a Christmas card
Sretan Božić i sretna Nova godina
Say it like this: SREH-tahn BOH-zheech ee SREHT-nah NOH-vah GOH-dee-nah
Where people speak Bosnian
Bosnia and HerzegovinaMontenegroSerbia (Sandžak)CroatiaGermanyAustria
Bosnian (bosanski) belongs to the Indo-European, South Slavic 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 Bosnian today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Bosnian
- Two Christmas dates: Bosnia and Herzegovina has several communities, so Catholic Christmas is on December 25 and Serbian Orthodox Christmas is on January 7. Muslims celebrate other holidays, such as Bajram, and New Year's Day is shared by everyone.[1]
- Advent wreaths and Christmas wheat: Catholic families in the region keep Advent customs shared with Croatia, such as the four-candle wreath. On St Lucy's Day, December 13, many families sow wheat on a plate to put under the tree.[2]
- The Badnjak and the straw: Serbian Orthodox families celebrate on January 6 and 7 with customs shared with Serbia. They bring in an oak branch, the Badnjak, to burn on Christmas Eve and spread straw on the floor or under the table.[3][4]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Bosnian
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- BulgarianВесела Коледа
- CroatianSretan Božić
- MacedonianСреќен Божиќ
- SerbianСрећан Божић
- SlovenianVesel božič
- LithuanianLinksmų Kalėdų
- DanishGlædelig jul
- FaroeseGleðilig jól
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Bosnian?
The most common way to say Merry Christmas in Bosnian is Sretan Božić. It is pronounced "SREH-tahn BOH-zheech". Bosnian speakers who are Christian use Sretan Božić. Many Bosnian speakers are Muslim and do not celebrate Christmas, but they may still say it kindly to neighbours and friends who do.[5][1]
How do you pronounce Merry Christmas in Bosnian?
Say it like this: SREH-tahn BOH-zheech. The capital letters show the stressed syllable, so say that part a little louder and longer. The letter ž sounds like the s in measure, and ć is a soft ch sound. Stress usually falls on the first syllable of each word, so say SREH-tahn BOH-zheech.
What does Merry Christmas mean word for word in Bosnian?
Word for word it is 'sretan' (happy) plus 'Božić' (Christmas). Bosnian uses the Latin alphabet, and the greeting is shared with Croatian, while Serbian says Srećan Božić. Bosnian shares most of this vocabulary with its neighbours, so a child who learns it can also be understood in Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro.[5]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Bosnian?
Write it as Sretan Božić in the Latin alphabet. Keep the special letter ć at the end of Božić, because it stands for a soft ch sound that plain c cannot show. Bosnian also uses č, đ, dž, š and ž, so a keyboard set to Bosnian or Croatian makes typing these letters easy.
How do you say Happy New Year in Bosnian?
Happy New Year in Bosnian is Sretna Nova godina, pronounced "SREHT-nah NOH-vah GOH-dee-nah". It means happy new year, word for word 'happy new year'. Everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates New Year's Day on January 1 and 2, which are public holidays. Some Orthodox families also keep an older New Year on January 14, based on the Julian calendar.[6][1]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Bosnian?
Sretan Božić is polite and works in any setting. The longer Hristos se rodi, answered by Vaistinu se rodi, is a religious greeting used among Orthodox Christians on January 7. Children can use the short one with anyone.[3]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Bosnian?
Bosnian Catholics say it around December 24 and 25. Orthodox Christians say Hristos se rodi on January 6 and 7. Because the nation has several traditions, Christmas greetings are heard in both December and January.[1]
Which day is the main Christmas celebration for Bosnian speakers: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
It depends on the community. Catholic families celebrate Christmas on December 25, with Christmas Eve on December 24. Serbian Orthodox families celebrate Christmas on January 7, with Christmas Eve on January 6. Both dates are public holidays in the places where those communities are the majority.[1]
What are the two Christmas dates in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Catholic Christmas is on December 25 and Serbian Orthodox Christmas is on January 7, because the Orthodox church uses the Julian calendar. Muslims mark other holidays such as Bajram, and New Year's Day is shared by everyone. Neighbours of different faiths often visit each other with greetings on each community's feast day.[1]
How can I teach Merry Christmas in Bosnian to kids?
Teach the greeting with its two words, sretan and Božić, and then explain the two Christmas dates with a simple calendar. Children can mark December 25 and January 7 and say Sretan Božić or Hristos se rodi on each. This also teaches respect for neighbours.
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.
- Public holidays in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Wikipedia
- Christmas in Croatia, WhyChristmas.com
- Christmas in Serbia, WhyChristmas.com
- Christmas in Serbia, Wikipedia
- Merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- Happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
