Merry Christmas in Fijian
Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu
Say it like this: meh noh-MOO-nee nah mah-ROW nee SEE-ngah nee SOO-thoo
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Fijian, Merry Christmas is Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu, said like meh noh-MOO-nee nah mah-ROW nee SEE-ngah nee SOO-thoo.
- Happy New Year is Na tawase ni yabaki vou.
- People say it in Fiji.
What Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu means
'Me' means 'may', 'nomuni' means 'yours', 'marau' means joy or happiness, and 'siga ni sucu' means 'day of birth'. Here it points to the birth of Christ, so the whole phrase is 'may yours be the joy of the birth day'.
Other ways to say it in Fijian
Marau na Kerisimasi
Say it like this: mah-ROW nah keh-ree-see-MAH-see
A shorter 'Happy Christmas' using the borrowed English word Kerisimasi (Christmas).
Happy New Year
Na tawase ni yabaki vou
Say it like this: nah tah-WAH-seh nee yahm-BAH-kee VOH-oo
The new year: 'yabaki vou' means new year.
Where people speak Fijian
Fiji
Fijian (Na Vosa Vakaviti) belongs to the Austronesian (Oceanic) language family.
Hear it from Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train around the world. He reaches Suva at about 12:00 AM local time, and kids learn to say Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in Suva →Christmas traditions where people speak Fijian
- Village celebrations: Villages celebrate for about two weeks around Christmas and New Year. Communities gather in the community hall or the largest house to sing and dance, including traditional meke dances.[2]
- The lovo feast: Food is slow-cooked in banana leaves in an underground oven called a lovo. Typical dishes include chicken, pork, fish, cassava and dalo (taro).[2][5]
- Carols in harmony: Most Fijians attend church, and Christmas services feature carols sung in beautiful harmony. Carolers also visit rest homes to sing to older people and give them gifts.[2][3]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Fijian
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- TonganKilisimasi fiefia
- Tok PisinMeri Krismas
- HawaiianMele Kalikimaka
- Māori (Te Reo Māori)Meri Kirihimete
- SamoanManuia le Kerisimasi
- IrishNollaig Shona
- LatinFelix dies Nativitatis
- ZuluUkhisimusi omuhle
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Fijian?
A common greeting is 'Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu', pronounced 'meh noh-MOO-nee nah mah-ROW nee SEE-ngah nee SOO-thoo'. A shorter option is 'Marau na Kerisimasi', which uses the borrowed English word for Christmas. English 'Merry Christmas' is also widely used in Fiji.[1][2][3]
How do you pronounce Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu?
Say 'meh noh-MOO-nee nah mah-ROW nee SEE-ngah nee SOO-thoo'. Fijian spelling has special rules: 'g' sounds like 'ng' as in 'singer', and 'c' sounds like a soft 'th' as in 'this'. 'Au' in 'marau' sounds like 'ow'. Say it slowly in small chunks.[1]
What does siga ni sucu mean?
'Siga' means day and 'sucu' means to be born, so 'siga ni sucu' means 'day of birth'. Here it points to the birth of Christ. 'Marau' means joy, and 'nomuni' means 'yours'. The whole phrase wishes that you will have the happiness of the Christmas day, in the same way as 'Merry Christmas'.[1][3]
How do you write and spell it in Fijian?
Fijian uses the Latin alphabet with a few letters whose sounds differ from English: g = ng, c = th, b = mb, d = nd, q = ngg. In writing, the phrase is 'Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu'. Keep each word separate, with a capital letter on the first word of a card.[1][3]
How do you say Happy New Year in Fijian?
Omniglot lists 'Na tawase ni yabaki vou' as a Fijian New Year wish, where 'yabaki vou' means new year. English 'Happy New Year' is also widely used in Fiji, especially in towns. If you want one safe greeting for a card, you can pair 'Marau na Kerisimasi' with the English New Year wish.[1][2]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say it?
'Me nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu' is a polite, complete wish, good for elders, church leaders and speeches. 'Marau na Kerisimasi' is shorter and good for friends and children. Many people begin a conversation with 'Bula vinaka' (good greetings) before wishing someone a merry Christmas.[1][3]
When do people say it in Fiji?
Around December 24 to 26 and across the festive season. Villages celebrate for about two weeks around Christmas and New Year. December 25 and 26 are public holidays in Fiji, so shops and offices are closed, and people usually buy supplies the day before.[2]
Is the main celebration Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Both matter. Families attend a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day church service together, with prayers and carols. Christmas Day is often a day of eating, visiting neighbors and sharing a lovo feast, while village celebrations can carry on for days afterward.[3][5]
What are Christmas traditions in Fiji?
Most Fijians attend church, and services feature carols sung in harmony. Many families wear new matching clothes, and food is cooked in a lovo, an underground oven, with dishes such as chicken, pork, fish, cassava and dalo (taro). Villages gather in the community hall to sing and dance.[3][5][6]
How can I teach Fijian Christmas words to kids?
Start with 'Marau na Kerisimasi', which is short and sounds like 'Christmas'. Teach the special letters: 'g' is 'ng' and 'c' is 'th'. Then build up to the longer phrase one piece at a time. Children can make flower and palm leaf decorations and say the greeting when they hang them.[1][6]
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.
- Fijian phrases (Christmas and New Year), Omniglot
- What's it like to celebrate Christmas in Fiji?, Fiji Pocket Guide
- Christmas in the South Pacific, World Methodist Council
- Summer Xmas Day: we wish you a mere Kiritimiti, Pacific Media Network
- Christmas Traditions of Polynesia, Polynesia.com
- A season of light: Christmas traditions across Asia and Oceania, Daily Tribune