How to Say Merry Christmas in Danish

Europe

Nov 3

Written by Kelsey Cecil

Merry Christmas in Danish

Glædelig jul

Say it like this: GLEH-thuh-lee YOOL

Big letters show the part to say louder.

Quick answer

In Danish, Merry Christmas is Glædelig jul, said like GLEH-thuh-lee YOOL.
Happy New Year is Godt nytår.
People say it in Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Southern Schleswig (Germany).

What Glædelig jul means

'Glædelig' means joyful or glad, and 'jul' means Yule, the old Nordic midwinter feast that Danes still call Christmas. So it is 'Joyful Yule'.

Other ways to say it in Danish

God jul

Say it like this: GO-th YOOL

Means "good Yule". Very common and friendly, a little shorter than glædelig jul.

Happy New Year

Godt nytår

Say it like this: got NEW-tor

Happy New Year (literally "good new year")

To write in a Christmas card

Glædelig jul og godt nytår

Say it like this: GLEH-thuh-lee YOOL oh got NEW-tor

Where people speak Danish

DenmarkFaroe IslandsGreenlandSouthern Schleswig (Germany)

Danish (Dansk) belongs to the Germanic (Indo-European) language family.

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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 Danish today, then follow his trip.

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Christmas traditions where people speak Danish

Dancing around the Christmas tree: On Christmas Eve, after dinner, many Danish families dance around the Christmas tree and sing carols like Nu er det jul igen. The presents are opened after the singing is complete.^[3]
Risalamande with a hidden almond: The Christmas dinner dessert is risalamande, a cold rice pudding with cream and a sweet cherry sauce. One whole almond is hidden in it, and the person who finds it gets a small prize, often a marzipan pig.^[3][4][5]
Julenisser, the Christmas elves: Danish julenisser are small elves who are said to live in attics and barns. Children sometimes leave out a bowl of rice porridge for them on Christmas Eve to keep them happy.^[3]

🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Danish

Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.

Say Merry Christmas in more languages

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Questions parents ask

How do you say Merry Christmas in Danish?

The most common way is "Glædelig jul" (GLEH-thuh-lee YOOL). Danes also say "God jul", which is shorter and just as friendly. Both are used across Denmark. On cards, you will often see "Glædelig jul og godt nytår" for Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.^[1][2]

How do you pronounce Glædelig jul?

Say "GLEH-thuh-lee YOOL". The æ is like the e in bed. The d in the middle of glædelig is a soft sound, like the th in the English word the. The j in jul sounds like an English y, and the u is a long oo sound.^[1]

What does Glædelig jul mean?

Glædelig means joyful or glad, and jul means Yule, the old midwinter feast. Together they mean Joyful Yule, the Danish way to say Merry Christmas. The word jul also appears in juletræ (Christmas tree), julemanden (Santa) and julegave (Christmas gift).^[1]

How do you write Glædelig jul?

Write it as Glædelig jul, with the special Danish letter æ in the first word. Danish common nouns are not capitalized, so jul has a small j. On cards, only the first word is capitalized. Danish also has the letters å and ø, which appear in other holiday words.^[1]

How do you say Happy New Year in Danish?

Say "Godt nytår" (got NEW-tor), which means good new year. Cards often read "Glædelig jul og godt nytår". On New Year's Eve, many Danes watch the queen's or king's speech on TV, eat a festive dinner, and set off fireworks after midnight.^[2]

Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Danish?

Glædelig jul is polite for everyone, including teachers and neighbors. Danish uses du for almost everyone, so the difference between formal and casual is small. For a more formal card, you can write "Jeg ønsker dig en glædelig jul", which means I wish you a Merry Christmas.^[1]

When do people say Glædelig jul in Denmark?

People say it in December and especially from the first Advent onward, with the most greetings in the days before Christmas Eve and on December 24. Danes also say it on December 25 and 26, which are both public holidays. After that, people switch to Godt nytår.^[3][5]

Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in Denmark?

Christmas Eve is the main celebration. Families have dinner, dance around the tree singing carols, and then open presents. Some people also go to church on the day. December 25 and 26 are public holidays, often spent resting and visiting relatives.^[3][5]

What is a popular Christmas tradition in Denmark?

Risalamande is a favorite. It is a rice pudding with whipped cream and a whole almond hidden inside. Whoever finds the almond gets a small gift, called a mandelgave, often a marzipan pig. Kids love the game, and everyone pretends not to find the almond.^[5][4]

How can I teach kids to say Glædelig jul?

Break it into GLEH, the, lee, YOOL. Practice the soft th in the middle. Hold hands and dance around a tree while singing a simple carol, like Danish families do. Then play the almond game with a bowl of rice pudding and write Glædelig jul on a card.^[3]

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