How to Say Merry Christmas in Khmer

Asia

Nov 3

Written by Kelsey Cecil

Merry Christmas in Khmer

រីករាយថ្ងៃបុណ្យណូអែល

Rik-reay thngai bon Noel

Say it like this: reek-RAY tngai bon noh-EL

Big letters show the part to say louder.

Quick answer

In Khmer, Merry Christmas is រីករាយថ្ងៃបុណ្យណូអែល (Rik-reay thngai bon Noel), said like reek-RAY tngai bon noh-EL.
Happy New Year is សួស្ដីឆ្នាំថ្មី (Suosdei chhnam thmei).
People say it in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, United States.

What Rik-reay thngai bon Noel means

'Rik-reay' (joyful, happy) + 'thngai bon' (festival day) + 'Noel' (Christmas, borrowed from French Noël). Together it means happy Christmas festival day.

Khmer is written in its own script, which uses many round shapes and stacked letters, and it is usually written without spaces between words.

Other ways to say it in Khmer

Happy New Year

សួស្ដីឆ្នាំថ្មី

Suosdei chhnam thmei

Say it like this: SUO-sdei ch-NAHM t-MAI

greetings for the new year

Where people speak Khmer

CambodiaVietnamThailandUnited States

Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ) belongs to the Austroasiatic language family.

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Christmas traditions where people speak Khmer

Lights, trees and giant Santas: Phnom Penh and other cities put up trees, lights, tinsel and baubles, and even giant inflatable Santas. Nativity scenes are rare and mostly appear inside churches.^[3]
Antlers and Santa costumes: Vendors sell Santa costumes and Christmas treats, and children wear reindeer antler headbands. Christians are less than three percent of Cambodians, but Buddhists and Muslims often join in for the fun and the chance to gather.^[3]
Church, family and fireworks: Cambodian Christians attend services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and spend time with family. Some parents also take their children out for gifts and a family meal.^[2][3]

🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Khmer

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 Khmer?

You can say "រីករាយថ្ងៃបុណ្យណូអែល" (Rik-reay thngai bon Noel). Noel is borrowed from French, and bon means a festival or religious holiday. This is the most common way to wish someone a happy Christmas in Khmer.^[1]

How do you pronounce "Rik-reay thngai bon Noel"?

Say it like this: reek-RAY tngai bon noh-EL. The capital letters show the part to stress. Khmer has sounds English does not, so do not worry about being perfect. Say rik-reay as two quick beats, then thngai bon as one flowing phrase.

What does "Rik-reay thngai bon Noel" mean?

It means happy Christmas festival day. Rik-reay means joyful, thngai bon means a festival day, and Noel is the word for Christmas. Khmer uses thngai bon for holidays, so the same pattern fits many other celebrations.^[1]

How do you write Merry Christmas in Khmer?

In Khmer script it is រីករាយថ្ងៃបុណ្យណូអែល. Khmer is usually written without spaces between words, and a space often marks a pause. In English letters you can write Rik-reay thngai bon Noel, though spellings in English letters vary.^[1]

How do you say Happy New Year in Khmer?

Happy New Year is "សួស្ដីឆ្នាំថ្មី" (Suosdei chhnam thmei), said like SUO-sdei ch-NAHM t-MAI. Suosdei is the everyday Khmer word for hello, so this is a warm greeting for the new year. Khmer New Year, Chaul Chnam Thmey, is celebrated in mid April, so this phrase is the one for January 1.^[1]

Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Khmer?

Rik-reay thngai bon Noel is polite and fits everyone. To show respect to an elder or teacher, Khmer speakers often press their palms together in front of the chest, called a sampeah, when they greet. With friends, a shorter or English greeting is fine.^[1]

When do people say Merry Christmas in Khmer?

Christians say it at church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Neighbours who join in for the fun often use it too. Christians are under three percent of Cambodia, but many Buddhists and Muslims enjoy the festive mood.^[3]

Is the main Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for Khmer speakers?

Christmas Day, December 25, is the main day, though it is not a public holiday in Cambodia. Christians attend services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and they usually spend the rest of the time with family. For most other Cambodians it is an ordinary working day.^[2][3]

What is a Christmas tradition in Cambodia?

Cities such as Phnom Penh light up with trees, tinsel and giant inflatable Santas, and children wear reindeer antler headbands. Christian families go to church and spend time together, and some parents take children out for gifts and a meal. Nativity scenes are rare and mostly appear inside churches.^[3]

How can I teach Khmer Christmas words to kids?

Teach Noel first, since it sounds like the French Noël. Then add rik-reay, which means joyful, and say it as two quick beats. Explain that thngai bon means festival day, a pattern Khmer uses for many holidays. Ask a Khmer speaker for a recording so children can copy the real sound.

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