Merry Christmas in Georgian
შობას გილოცავთ
Shobas gilotsavt
Say it like this: SHOH-bas gee-LOH-tsavt
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Georgian, Merry Christmas is შობას გილოცავთ (Shobas gilotsavt), said like SHOH-bas gee-LOH-tsavt.
- Happy New Year is გილოცავთ ახალ წელს (Gilotsavt akhal tsels).
- People say it in Georgia.
What Shobas gilotsavt means
Word for word it is 'შობას' (shobas, Nativity or Christmas, in the form that takes the wish) plus 'გილოცავთ' (gilotsavt, we congratulate you). So the whole phrase means 'we congratulate you on Christmas'.
Georgian has its own alphabet, with 33 letters and no capital letters.
Other ways to say it in Georgian
შობას გილოცავ
Shobas gilotsav
Say it like this: SHOH-bas gee-LOH-tsav
The same greeting in the informal form, for one friend or a child.
Happy New Year
გილოცავთ ახალ წელს
Gilotsavt akhal tsels
Say it like this: gee-LOH-tsavt AH-khal TSELS
we congratulate you on the new year, a happy new year
Where people speak Georgian
Georgia
Georgian (ქართული (kartuli)) belongs to the Kartvelian (South Caucasian), unrelated to its neighbours 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 Georgian today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Georgian
- Alilo, the Christmas parade: On Christmas Day, January 7, many Georgians join an Alilo, a parade through the streets. People wear special clothes and costumes, some dress as figures from the Christmas story, and children are often given sweets.[1]
- Chichilaki, the Georgian tree: The traditional Georgian Christmas tree is the Chichilaki, made by shaving a hazelnut or walnut branch into long curls. It resembles the beard of St Basil and is decorated with small fruits and sweets. It is most common in western Georgia.[1][2]
- Tovlis Papa and the churchkhela: Presents are given on New Year's Eve by Tovlis Papa, which means Snow Grandfather. He wears a heavy white wool cloak, and children leave out churchkhela, a sweet made of walnuts and grape juice, for him.[1]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Georgian
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- KazakhРождество құтты болсын
- Gujaratiનાતાલની શુભકામનાઓ
- ArmenianՇնորհավոր Սուրբ Ծնունդ
- Punjabiਕ੍ਰਿਸਮਸ ਦੀਆਂ ਸ਼ੁਭਕਾਮਨਾਵਾਂ
- JavaneseSugeng Natal
- Sinhalaසුබ නත්තලක් වේවා
- UzbekRojdestvo muborak
- IndonesianSelamat Natal
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Georgian?
The most common way to say Merry Christmas in Georgian is შობას გილოცავთ (Shobas gilotsavt). It is pronounced "SHOH-bas gee-LOH-tsavt". You may also hear the informal form შობას გილოცავ (Shobas gilotsav) for one friend or a child. Georgian Orthodox Christmas is on January 7, so people say it then.[3][1]
How do you pronounce Merry Christmas in Georgian?
Say it like this: SHOH-bas gee-LOH-tsavt. The letter ც (ts) sounds like ts in cats, and ხ is a throaty kh, like the ch in the Scottish word loch. Georgian stress is gentle, so give each syllable almost the same weight, while the main beat falls on SHOH and on LOH.
What does Merry Christmas mean word for word in Georgian?
Word for word it is 'შობას' (shobas, the Nativity or Christmas) plus 'გილოცავთ' (gilotsavt, we congratulate you). So the whole phrase means 'we congratulate you on Christmas'. The ending -თ (-t) makes the verb polite or plural, and dropping it gives the informal form used with friends and children.[3]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Georgian?
Write it in the Georgian alphabet as შობას გილოცავთ. In Latin letters it is Shobas gilotsavt. Georgian has no capital letters, so every word looks the same size, and each letter makes one sound. The alphabet is easy to learn because it is very regular, with 33 letters.
How do you say Happy New Year in Georgian?
Happy New Year in Georgian is გილოცავთ ახალ წელს (Gilotsavt akhal tsels), pronounced "gee-LOH-tsavt AH-khal TSELS". It means we congratulate you on the new year. New Year's Eve, December 31, is when many Georgian families exchange gifts, often with a visit from Tovlis Papa, the Snow Grandfather.[4][1]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Georgian?
შობას გილოცავთ, with the ending -თ, is polite and used with elders, teachers or groups. შობას გილოცავ, without the ending, is the casual form for one friend, a child or a close family member. Children can learn both forms together and choose depending on whom they are greeting.[3]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Georgian?
Georgians say it on and around January 7, when the Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas. It is heard in church, at Alilo parades and when families visit one another. Many families also send messages and cards, and the greeting is often followed by a wish for the new year.[1]
Which day is the main Christmas celebration for Georgian speakers: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Georgian Orthodox Christmas is January 7, and people greet each other on that day with parades, the Alilo, and church services. New Year's Eve, December 31, is when many families exchange presents. The Church uses the Julian calendar, which is why the date is January 7.[1]
What is the Georgian Alilo parade?
On Christmas Day, January 7, many Georgians join an Alilo, a parade through the streets. People wear special clothes and costumes, some dress as figures from the Christmas story, and children are often given sweets. Participants sing Alilo songs from house to house, and the procession is also a way to collect gifts for charity.[1]
How can I teach Merry Christmas in Georgian to kids?
Teach the greeting using the alphabet. Show three letters at a time and let children trace them in the air, then say the word. Georgian has no capitals, so there is only one shape per letter. After this, make a Chichilaki from paper curls and say Shobas gilotsavt as you hang it.
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 Georgia, WhyChristmas.com
- Chichilaki, Wikipedia
- Merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- Happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary