How to Say Merry Christmas in Malagasy

Africa

Nov 3

Written by Kelsey Cecil

Merry Christmas in Malagasy

Arahaba tratry ny Noely

Say it like this: ah-rah-HAH-bah TRAH-tree nee noh-EH-lee

Big letters show the part to say louder.

Quick answer

In Malagasy, Merry Christmas is Arahaba tratry ny Noely, said like ah-rah-HAH-bah TRAH-tree nee noh-EH-lee.
Happy New Year is Miarahaba tratry ny taona vaovao.
People say it in Madagascar.

What Arahaba tratry ny Noely means

'Arahaba' (greetings, congratulations) + 'tratry' (on reaching, on the arrival of) + 'ny Noely' (the Christmas). Together it means greetings on the arrival of Christmas.

Other ways to say it in Malagasy

Tratrin'ny Krismasy

Say it like this: TRAH-trin-ee kris-MAH-see

A short greeting that people say at midnight on Christmas Eve while they hug and kiss. Krismasy is the Malagasy form of the English word Christmas.

Happy New Year

Miarahaba tratry ny taona vaovao

Say it like this: mee-ah-rah-HAH-bah TRAH-tree nee TOW-nah vow-VOW

I greet you on the arrival of the new year

Where people speak Malagasy

Madagascar

Malagasy belongs to the Austronesian 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 Malagasy today, then follow his trip.

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Christmas traditions where people speak Malagasy

Midnight hugs and rice cakes: At midnight on Christmas Eve, people embrace and kiss and say the Christmas greeting. They share rice cake, called mofogasy, and candies that are said to come from Santa Claus.^[2][3]
Church plays and carols: On Christmas Eve, families go to church to watch a nativity play and hear children sing carols. Services can run from about 5 p.m. past midnight, and many people return on Christmas Day.^[1][2]
Lychees and a family dinner: Families gather in their best or new clothes for a large dinner of chicken or pork with rice. Fresh lychees are a special Christmas fruit, and Santa Claus is called Dadabe Noely.^[1]

🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Malagasy

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 Malagasy?

You can say "Arahaba tratry ny Noely". Noely is the Malagasy word for Christmas, and arahaba means greetings. At midnight on Christmas Eve, people also say the shorter Tratrin'ny Krismasy while they hug. Learning one phrase is enough for a class card or a message to a friend.^[1][3]

How do you pronounce "Arahaba tratry ny Noely"?

Say it like this: ah-rah-HAH-bah TRAH-tree nee noh-EH-lee. The capital letters show the part to stress. In Malagasy, the stress usually falls on the second last syllable, but words ending in -tra, -try or -na often stress earlier. The final y sounds like ee, and tr sounds almost like ch in many dialects.

What does "Arahaba tratry ny Noely" mean?

It means greetings on the arrival of Christmas. Arahaba is a word of greeting or congratulation, and tratry means on reaching or on the arrival of. It is a friendly way to share the joy of the season with family, friends and neighbours.^[1]

How do you write Merry Christmas in Malagasy?

Malagasy uses the Latin alphabet, so it is written Arahaba tratry ny Noely. Malagasy letters are close to English, but the final y sounds like ee, and some endings are spelled with an apostrophe, as in Tratrin'ny Krismasy.^[1][2]

How do you say Happy New Year in Malagasy?

Wiktionary lists "Miarahaba tratry ny taona vaovao" for Happy New Year, said like mee-ah-rah-HAH-bah TRAH-tree nee TOW-nah vow-VOW. It means I greet you on the arrival of the new year. Taona vaovao means new year, and the pattern matches the Christmas greeting Arahaba tratry ny Noely.^[1]

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

Arahaba tratry ny Noely is the everyday form and is polite for everyone. Tratrin'ny Krismasy is a short midnight greeting shared with hugs. Malagasy culture places value on respectful greetings, so a warm tone with elders matters most.^[1]

When do people say Merry Christmas in Malagasy?

People say Tratrin'ny Krismasy at midnight on Christmas Eve while they hug, and Arahaba tratry ny Noely on cards and in messages. It is also spoken after the church celebration, at family meals and when visiting relatives and neighbours.^[1][2]

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

Both days matter. Families go to church on Christmas Eve, and at midnight they hug and share rice cake and sweets. Christmas Day, December 25, is for a big family dinner and visits. The greeting is used on both days.^[1][2]

What is a Christmas tradition for Malagasy speaking families?

At midnight on Christmas Eve, people embrace and kiss and wish each other a merry Christmas, sharing rice cake and sweets. On Christmas Day families eat chicken or pork with rice, and fresh lychees are a special treat.^[1][2]

How can I teach Malagasy Christmas words to kids?

Start small. Teach Noely first, since it sounds a bit like Noël. Then add arahaba, which means greetings. Say the greeting together a few times, then write it on a card. A good activity is a midnight hug: children say Tratrin'ny Krismasy while hugging a classmate.

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