Merry Christmas in Estonian
Häid jõule
Say it like this: HEH-eed YUH-oo-leh
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Estonian, Merry Christmas is Häid jõule, said like HEH-eed YUH-oo-leh.
- Happy New Year is Head uut aastat.
- People say it in Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden and more.
What Häid jõule means
Word for word it is 'häid' (good ones) plus 'jõule' (Christmas). The ending on jõule is a grammar form, so the whole phrase means something like 'good Christmases'.
Other ways to say it in Estonian
Rõõmsaid jõulupühi
Say it like this: RUHM-sah-eed YUH-oo-loo-pew-hee
Means 'joyful Christmas holidays'. A warmer, slightly longer wish.
Happy New Year
Head uut aastat
Say it like this: HEH-ed OOT AHS-taht
good new year, a wish for a good new year
To write in a Christmas card
Häid jõule ja head uut aastat
Say it like this: HEH-eed YUH-oo-leh yah HEH-ed OOT AHS-taht
Where people speak Estonian
EstoniaLatviaFinlandSwedenRussiaUnited States
Estonian (eesti) belongs to the Uralic (Finnic), related to Finnish 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 Estonian today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Estonian
- The elf and the socks: In Estonia, children put their socks on the window ledge. Every day until Christmas Eve, an elf comes and puts a few sweets in them, so each morning in Advent can start with a small surprise.[1]
- Santa asks for a poem: On Christmas Eve families gather, and in the evening Santa visits. In Estonia he often asks the children to tell him a poem or sing a song before he hands over the gifts.[1]
- Blood sausage and gingerbread: Estonians love to eat at Christmas. The most traditional dish is blood sausage, made with blood, barley and pork. Sauerkraut, tangerines and gingerbread are also popular, and some families drink mulled wine, with or without alcohol.[1]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Estonian
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- LatvianPriecīgus Ziemassvētkus
- EsperantoFeliĉan Kristnaskon
- NorwegianGod jul
- LuxembourgishSchéine Chrëschtdag
- RomanianCrăciun fericit
- IcelandicGleðileg jól
- CroatianSretan Božić
- GreekΚαλά Χριστούγεννα
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Estonian?
The most common way to say Merry Christmas in Estonian is Häid jõule. It is pronounced "HEH-eed YUH-oo-leh". Estonians say Häid jõule in person and on cards. The longer Rõõmsaid jõulupühi, meaning joyful Christmas holidays, is also used for a warmer wish.[2][1]
How do you pronounce Merry Christmas in Estonian?
Say it like this: HEH-eed YUH-oo-leh. Stress falls on the first syllable of each word. The letter ä is like the a in cat, and õ has no English match: say ee, then pull the tongue back without rounding the lips. The õ sound in jõule is the one to practise slowly with children.
What does Merry Christmas mean word for word in Estonian?
Word for word it is 'häid' (good ones) plus 'jõule' (Christmas). The ending on jõule is a grammar form, so the whole phrase means something like 'good Christmases'. Jõulud is the Estonian word for Christmas, and it is related to the old Nordic word jul, from which English gets Yule.[2]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Estonian?
Write it as Häid jõule. Estonian uses the letters ä, ö, õ and ü, with two dots or a tilde, and they change the sound. Do not replace õ with o, because it is a different letter. Both words are lowercase in the middle of a sentence.
How do you say Happy New Year in Estonian?
Happy New Year in Estonian is Head uut aastat, pronounced "HEH-ed OOT AHS-taht". It means good new year, a wish for a good new year. Estonians wish Head uut aastat around New Year's Eve. The greeting is often joined with Christmas wishes on cards, such as Häid jõule ja head uut aastat, meaning good Christmas and good new year.[3]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Estonian?
Häid jõule is polite and used with everyone, from friends to teachers. For a warmer card, many Estonians pick Rõõmsaid jõulupühi, which means joyful Christmas holidays, but children can simply learn the short form. Both wishes are polite and suit teachers, relatives and friends alike.[1]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Estonian?
Estonians say it on the days leading up to Christmas, at school parties, and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It is also used as a goodbye wish at work before the holiday break, and in messages sent to friends and family who live far away.[1]
Which day is the main Christmas celebration for Estonian speakers: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Eve, December 24, is when Estonian families come together, and in the evening Santa visits with presents. Christmas Day, December 25, is a public holiday for visiting relatives and resting. Many Estonians also go to church services around Christmas.[1]
What is the Estonian Advent elf tradition?
In Estonia, children put their socks on the window ledge. Every day until Christmas Eve, an elf comes and puts a few sweets in them, so each morning in Advent can start with a small surprise. Some families keep a small sock for each child, and the sweets count down the days to Christmas.[1]
How can I teach Merry Christmas in Estonian to kids?
Teach häid as 'good' and jõule as 'Christmas'. Then use the sock game: put a small sock on the table and drop a sweet in it every time a child says Häid jõule correctly. The õ sound is the hard part, so practise it slowly, with the tongue pulled back and the lips relaxed.
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.
- Christmas in Estonia, WhyChristmas.com
- Merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- Happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary