Merry Christmas in Maltese
Il-Milied it-Tajjeb
Say it like this: il-mee-LEET it-TIE-yep
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Maltese, Merry Christmas is Il-Milied it-Tajjeb, said like il-mee-LEET it-TIE-yep.
- Happy New Year is Is-Sena t-Tajba.
- People say it in Malta.
What Il-Milied it-Tajjeb means
Word for word it is 'il-Milied' (the Christmas) plus 'it-tajjeb' (the good). Maltese puts the word for 'the' before each word, so the greeting reads 'the Christmas the good'.
Other ways to say it in Maltese
Happy New Year
Is-Sena t-Tajba
Say it like this: iss-SEH-nah t-TIE-bah
the good year, a wish for a good new year
Where people speak Maltese
Malta
Maltese (Malti) belongs to the Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, with many Italian and English words 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 Maltese today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Maltese
- The Maltese crib, il-presepju: Maltese families and churches build cribs called presepju, with small clay or plastic figures called pasturi for the shepherds and angels. Many cribs show Maltese windmills, and the baby Jesus figure is placed on the main church altar at midnight.[1]
- Gulbiena, the sprouting seeds: About five weeks before Christmas, Maltese families sow wheat, grain and canary seed on cotton in flat pans and keep them in dark corners. The white shoots that grow are used to decorate the crib.[1]
- The preaching of the child: At Midnight Mass in Malta, a child aged about seven to ten gives the sermon instead of the priest. This is called Priedka tat-Tifel. The child learns it by heart and tells the Bethlehem story.[1]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Maltese
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- BulgarianВесела Коледа
- DutchVrolijk kerstfeest
- FaroeseGleðilig jól
- LatvianPriecīgus Ziemassvētkus
- MacedonianСреќен Божиќ
- WelshNadolig Llawen
- SwedishGod jul
- UkrainianЗ Різдвом!
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Maltese?
The most common way to say Merry Christmas in Maltese is Il-Milied it-Tajjeb. It is pronounced "il-mee-LEET it-TIE-yep". Maltese people say Il-Milied it-Tajjeb in person, at school and on cards. It is the standard greeting, used by children and grown-ups alike.[1][2]
How do you pronounce Merry Christmas in Maltese?
Say it like this: il-mee-LEET it-TIE-yep. The capital letters show the stressed syllable, so say that part a little louder and longer. Maltese is a Semitic language written in Latin letters. The double j in tajjeb is a strong y sound held a little longer, and ie in Milied is a long ee sound. Stress falls on the second syllable of Milied, so say mee-LEET.
What does Merry Christmas mean word for word in Maltese?
Word for word it is 'il-Milied' (the Christmas) plus 'it-tajjeb' (the good). Maltese puts the word for 'the' before each word, so the greeting reads 'the Christmas the good'. Milied is the Maltese word for Christmas, and it comes from an Arabic-based word related to birth, which shows how Maltese blends Arabic roots with Italian and English words.[2]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Maltese?
Write it as Il-Milied it-Tajjeb, with hyphens joining the little word for the to the noun. Maltese uses the Latin alphabet with special letters such as ċ, ġ, ħ, għ and ż. Capitalise Milied as the holiday name, and keep tajjeb lowercase.
How do you say Happy New Year in Maltese?
Happy New Year in Maltese is Is-Sena t-Tajba, pronounced "iss-SEH-nah t-TIE-bah". It means the good year, a wish for a good new year. Maltese people say Is-Sena t-Tajba for the new year. The pattern matches the Christmas greeting, with the word for the, a noun and the word for good.[3]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Maltese?
Il-Milied it-Tajjeb is the standard greeting for everyone, from friends and family to teachers and priests. There is no separate casual form that children need to learn, though longer written wishes on cards can add more kind words.[2]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Maltese?
Maltese people say it in the weeks before Christmas, on cards and at school, and above all on Christmas Eve, at Midnight Mass, and on Christmas Day. Churches fill with families wishing one another the greeting.[1]
Which day is the main Christmas celebration for Maltese speakers: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Both days matter. Christmas Eve, December 24, is when most people go to Midnight Mass, and the baby Jesus figure is placed on the altar at midnight. Christmas Day, December 25, is the main holiday for families, and it is a public holiday.[1]
What is the Maltese crib, il-presepju?
Maltese families and churches build cribs called presepju, with small clay or plastic figures called pasturi for the shepherds and angels. Many cribs show Maltese windmills, and the baby Jesus figure is placed on the main church altar at midnight. Families often visit the cribs in churches and homes during the Christmas season.[1]
How can I teach Merry Christmas in Maltese to kids?
Teach Il-Milied it-Tajjeb by building a small crib together. Children can place each figure and say the greeting when the baby Jesus goes in at the end. Showing that the little word for the repeats helps with the pattern.
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We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- Christmas in Malta, WhyChristmas.com
- Merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- Happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary