Merry Christmas in Croatian
Sretan Božić
Say it like this: SREH-tahn BOH-zheech
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Croatian, Merry Christmas is Sretan Božić, said like SREH-tahn BOH-zheech.
- Happy New Year is Sretna Nova godina.
- People say it in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria (Burgenland), Montenegro and more.
What Sretan Božić means
Word for word it is 'sretan' (happy, lucky) plus 'Božić' (Christmas).
Other ways to say it in Croatian
Happy New Year
Sretna Nova godina
Say it like this: SREHT-nah NOH-vah GOH-dee-nah
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 Croatian
CroatiaBosnia and HerzegovinaAustria (Burgenland)MontenegroSerbia
Croatian (hrvatski) 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 Croatian today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Croatian
- The Advent wreath: Many Croatian families make an Advent wreath of straw or evergreen twigs with four candles. They light one more candle each Sunday before Christmas, so the light grows brighter as Christmas gets closer.[1]
- Christmas wheat on St Lucy's Day: On December 13, St Lucy's Day, Croatians sow wheat on small plates. By Christmas Eve the green sprouts have grown, and the plate of Christmas wheat is placed under the Christmas tree as a sign of good fortune.[1]
- St Nicholas and the boots: On the evening of December 5, children clean their boots and put them in the window. St Nicholas may leave sweets and small gifts, and a child who was naughty may get a golden twig instead. In some places Krampus, a horned figure, also appears.[1]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Croatian
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- BosnianSretan Božić
- BulgarianВесела Коледа
- MacedonianСреќен Божиќ
- SerbianСрећан Божић
- SlovenianVesel božič
- GermanFrohe Weihnachten
- NorwegianGod jul
- RomanianCrăciun fericit
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Croatian?
The most common way to say Merry Christmas in Croatian is Sretan Božić. It is pronounced "SREH-tahn BOH-zheech". Croatians use Sretan Božić in person, on cards and in messages. Note that Serbian says Srećan Božić with a ć, while Croatian says sretan with a plain t.[2]
How do you pronounce Merry Christmas in Croatian?
Say it like this: SREH-tahn BOH-zheech. The letter ž sounds like the s in measure, and the ć at the end of Božić sounds like a soft ch. Stress falls on the first syllable of each word, so say SREH-tahn BOH-zheech.
What does Merry Christmas mean word for word in Croatian?
Word for word it is 'sretan' (happy, lucky) plus 'Božić' (Christmas). The word sretan can mean both happy and lucky, so the greeting also carries a wish for good luck. Croatian children learn it as a simple two-word phrase.[2]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Croatian?
Write it as Sretan Božić. Croatian uses special letters such as ž and ć, which carry small marks and change the sounds, so do not leave them out. Capitalise Božić as the name of the holiday. If a keyboard has no ž or ć, many people type z and c, but the marks are the correct spelling.
How do you say Happy New Year in Croatian?
Happy New Year in Croatian is Sretna Nova godina, pronounced "SREHT-nah NOH-vah GOH-dee-nah". Sretna has an a at the end because godina is a feminine word, while Božić takes sretan. Croatians often send both wishes on one card: Sretan Božić i sretna Nova godina, where i means and.[3]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Croatian?
Sretan Božić is the standard greeting for everyone, from friends to teachers. A longer written message can sound more formal, but the plain Sretan Božić is polite and correct in every situation, so you cannot go wrong with it.[1]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Croatian?
Croatians say it in the days before Christmas, at school and work, on cards and messages, and especially on Christmas Eve and December 25. After Epiphany on January 6 the Christmas season is considered finished, and many families then take down their decorations.[1]
Which day is the main Christmas celebration for Croatian speakers: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Both days matter. Families gather on Christmas Eve, December 24, for a fish meal, and many attend Midnight Mass. On Christmas Day, December 25, the family has the main meal, often turkey, goose or duck, and visits relatives.[1]
What is Christmas wheat in Croatia?
Croatian families sow wheat on small plates on December 13, St Lucy's Day. By Christmas Eve the green sprouts have grown, and the plate is placed under the Christmas tree or on the table, often tied with a ribbon. The taller and greener it grows, the better luck the household is said to have.[1]
How can I teach Merry Christmas in Croatian to kids?
Teach sretan as 'happy' and Božić as 'Christmas', then try the Croatian wheat activity. Grow wheat on a plate for about two weeks, and every day say Sretan Božić to the green sprouts. Seeing them grow helps kids remember the words, and they can place the plate under a tree on December 24.
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.
- Christmas in Croatia, WhyChristmas.com
- Merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- Happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
