Merry Christmas in Cebuano
Malipayong Pasko
Say it like this: mah-lee-PAH-yong PAHS-koh
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Cebuano, Merry Christmas is Malipayong Pasko, said like mah-lee-PAH-yong PAHS-koh.
- Happy New Year is Malipayong Bag-ong Tuig.
- People say it in Philippines (Cebu), Philippines (Visayas), Philippines (Mindanao).
What Malipayong Pasko means
'Malipayon' (happy, from the root lipay, joy) + 'Pasko' (Christmas). Together it means happy Christmas.
Other ways to say it in Cebuano
Maayong Pasko
Say it like this: mah-AH-yong PAHS-koh
A friendly alternative. Maayo means good, so it means good Christmas.
Happy New Year
Malipayong Bag-ong Tuig
Say it like this: mah-lee-PAH-yong bahg-ONG TOO-ig
happy new year
To write in a Christmas card
Malipayong Pasko ug malipayong Bag-ong Tuig
Say it like this: mah-lee-PAH-yong PAHS-koh oog mah-lee-PAH-yong bahg-ONG TOO-ig
Where people speak Cebuano
Philippines (Cebu)Philippines (Visayas)Philippines (Mindanao)
Cebuano belongs to the Austronesian 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 Cebuano today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Cebuano
- Simbang Gabi: Simbang Gabi is a series of nine early morning masses from December 16 to 24. Families often eat rice cakes such as bibingka and puto bumbong outside the church afterwards.[2]
- Parol lanterns: Homes and streets are decorated with parols, star shaped lanterns made of bamboo and coloured paper. They remind people of the Star of Bethlehem.[2]
- Noche Buena and caroling: On Christmas Eve, families share Noche Buena, a big feast that can include lechon, ham and pancit. Groups of carolers also go from house to house singing for small donations or treats.[2]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Cebuano
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- IndonesianSelamat Natal
- JavaneseSugeng Natal
- MalaySelamat Hari Krismas
- Tagalog (Filipino)Maligayang Pasko
- Mandarin Chinese圣诞快乐
- Korean메리 크리스마스
- Kannadaಕ್ರಿಸ್ಮಸ್ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು
- Laoສຸກສັນ ວັນຄຣິດສະມາດ
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Cebuano?
You can say "Malipayong Pasko". Malipayon means happy, and Pasko is the Cebuano word for Christmas, borrowed from Spanish. Cebuano is spoken by millions of people in the central and southern Philippines, including Cebu, Bohol and much of Mindanao, so this greeting is widely understood across those regions.[1]
How do you pronounce "Malipayong Pasko"?
Say it like this: mah-lee-PAH-yong PAHS-koh. Cebuano is spoken as it is spelled, so each vowel is clear and short. The stress falls on the third syllable of the first word, PAH, and on the first syllable of Pasko. The ng at the end of malipayong sounds like the ng in sing.
What does "Malipayong Pasko" mean?
It means happy Christmas. Malipayon means happy and is built from lipay, which means joy. Pasko is the Cebuano word for Christmas. The pattern is used for other holidays too, which is why the New Year greeting follows the same shape.[1]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Cebuano?
Cebuano uses the Latin alphabet, so it is written Malipayong Pasko, with a capital M and P. The g at the end of malipayong is part of the word. Bag-ong Tuig has a hyphen in bag-ong, which marks a pause between the two parts of the word.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Cebuano?
Happy New Year is "Malipayong Bag-ong Tuig", said like mah-lee-PAH-yong bahg-ONG TOO-ig. It means happy new year. New Year is a big night in the Philippines, with a midnight feast called Media Noche, fireworks and lots of noise.[1][2]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Cebuano?
Malipayong Pasko is polite and suits everyone. Maayong Pasko is a friendly alternative, since maayo means good. The greeting itself does not change for age, but children traditionally greet older relatives with mano, taking their hand to the forehead as a sign of respect. Both greetings are fine for teachers, neighbours and family.[1]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Cebuano?
People say it as the Christmas season begins, at the dawn masses of Simbang Gabi, on Christmas Eve, and through Christmas Day. They also say it when they sing carols at neighbours' doors, and on cards and messages. In the Philippines the season starts as early as September, so greetings can begin very early.[2]
Is the main Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for Cebuano speakers?
Both days matter. Christmas Eve is for Noche Buena, the big family feast after midnight mass, and Christmas Day, December 25, is for visiting family and exchanging gifts. Children often greet older relatives and godparents on Christmas Day, and many receive small gifts of money from them.[2]
What is a Christmas tradition for Cebuano speaking families?
Families decorate with star shaped parol lanterns and attend Simbang Gabi, nine early morning masses before Christmas. On Christmas Eve they share Noche Buena, a feast with dishes such as lechon, ham and pancit. Carolers also go from house to house, singing for small donations or treats.[2]
How can I teach Cebuano Christmas words to kids?
Teach Pasko first, then malipayong, clapping the four beats: ma-li-pa-yong. Children can make a paper parol and say Malipayong Pasko when they hang it. Later, add Bag-ong Tuig for New Year and sing Kasadya Ning Taknaa, the Cebuano carol, so the words stick through music.
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.
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We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- malipayon (Cebuano), Wiktionary
- Christmas and New Year in Cebuano culture, Polyglot Club
- Kasadya Ning Taknaa, Wikipedia
