Merry Christmas in Haitian Creole
Jwaye Nwèl
Say it like this: zhwah-YEH NWEHL
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Haitian Creole, Merry Christmas is Jwaye Nwèl, said like zhwah-YEH NWEHL.
- Happy New Year is Bòn ane.
- People say it in Haiti, United States, Canada, Dominican Republic and more.
What Jwaye Nwèl means
'Jwaye' (joyful, to rejoice) + 'Nwèl' (Christmas, from French Noël). Together it means joyful Christmas.
Other ways to say it in Haitian Creole
Jwaye Nowèl
Say it like this: zhwah-YEH noh-WEHL
Another way the greeting is spelled. The pronunciation is nearly the same.
Happy New Year
Bòn ane
Say it like this: BON AH-neh
happy new year, literally good year
Where people speak Haitian Creole
HaitiUnited StatesCanadaDominican RepublicBahamas
Haitian Creole (Kreyòl ayisyen) belongs to the French-based creole 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 Haitian Creole today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Haitian Creole
- Shoes for Tonton Nwèl: On Christmas Eve, children leave freshly cleaned shoes stuffed with straw under the tree. They hope that Tonton Nwèl, the gift-giver, will swap the straw for presents.[2]
- Réveillon after midnight: The main Christmas meal, called réveillon, often begins in the early hours after Midnight Mass or carol singing and can last until dawn. Families and friends gather, eat, dance and open gifts.[1][2]
- Soup joumou on January 1: Haitians eat soup joumou, a pumpkin or squash soup, during the holidays and especially on New Year's Day, January 1. The day is also Haiti's Independence Day, and the soup is a proud symbol of freedom.[1]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Haitian Creole
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- NavajoNizhónígo Késhmish Da’doołeeł
- CherokeeᎤᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᏓᏂᏍᏓᏲᎯᎲ
- GuaraniFeliz Navidad
- SpanishFeliz Navidad
- QuechuaSumaq kausay kachun Navidad qampaq
- PortugueseFeliz Natal
- Greenlandic (Kalaallisut)Juullimi pilluarit
- AfrikaansGeseënde Kersfees
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Haitian Creole?
You can say "Jwaye Nwèl". Nwèl is Creole for Christmas, and it comes from the French word Noël. Jwaye is the Creole word for joy or rejoicing, so the greeting is a joyful one. You may also see it spelled "Jwaye Nowèl", and Haitian Creole is spoken by almost all Haitians.[1][2]
How do you pronounce "Jwaye Nwèl"?
Say it like this: zhwah-YEH NWEHL. Say the first part like zhwa in the French name Jean-Jacques, then add ye. In Nwèl, the w is a quick glide and the è sounds like the e in bet. Stress falls on the last syllable of each word, which is typical in Haitian Creole.
What does "Jwaye Nwèl" mean?
It means joyful Christmas. Jwaye comes from the verb to rejoice, and Nwèl is the Creole name for Christmas, from French Noël. The Haitian Project used Jwaye Nwèl as the title of its holiday article, which shows it is natural, everyday Creole.[1]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Haitian Creole?
Haitian Creole is written in the Latin alphabet with accents: Jwaye Nwèl. The grave accent on è matters, as it shows an open e. Some websites spell it Jwaye Nowèl, but Jwaye Nwèl is the form used in a Haitian organisation's own writing.[1][3]
How do you say Happy New Year in Haitian Creole?
Happy New Year is "Bòn ane", said like BON AH-neh. It means happy new year, literally good year, and it comes from French bonne année. New Year's Day, January 1, is also Haiti's Independence Day, which is why soup joumou, the pumpkin soup, is eaten that day.[3]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Haitian Creole?
Jwaye Nwèl is warm and fits everyone. In Haiti, a polite greeting and a respectful tone matter with elders, and Haitians usually greet people before starting a conversation. With friends, many people also say the French Joyeux Noël, which is understood across Haiti. Neither wording needs to change for age.[2]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Haitian Creole?
People say it on Christmas Eve, at midnight, at the réveillon meal, and on Christmas Day. It is also sent in messages and cards. Haitian families often celebrate from Christmas Eve right through to New Year, so wishes continue for more than a week, and Bòn ane takes over on January 1.[1]
Is the main Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for Haitian Creole speakers?
Christmas Eve is the big night in Haiti, when neighbourhood homes stay lit until around 3 a.m. and the réveillon meal lasts until dawn. Christmas Day, December 25, is quieter, as many people rest after the long night and spend time with their families, so the main greetings are said on the evening before.[2]
What is a Christmas tradition for Haitian Creole speaking families?
On Christmas Eve, children leave clean shoes stuffed with straw under the tree for Tonton Nwèl. Families stay up for réveillon, a big meal in the early hours, and on January 1 they eat soup joumou, a pumpkin soup.[1][2]
How can I teach Haitian Creole Christmas words to kids?
Teach Jwaye first, with the zh sound of a French j, then add Nwèl, which sounds a little like Noel. Children can leave a clean shoe stuffed with straw for Tonton Nwèl in a classroom role play and say Jwaye Nwèl when they find the present. Add Bòn ane for January 1.
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.
- Jwaye Nwèl: celebrations of the season, The Haitian Project
- Christmas in Haiti, WhyChristmas.com
- Useful Haitian Creole phrases, Omniglot
