Merry Christmas in Portuguese
Feliz Natal
Say it like this: feh-LEES nah-TOW (Brazil) or fuh-LEESH nuh-TAHL (Portugal)
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Portuguese, Merry Christmas is Feliz Natal, said like feh-LEES nah-TOW (Brazil) or fuh-LEESH nuh-TAHL (Portugal).
- Happy New Year is Feliz Ano Novo.
- People say it in Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and more.
What Feliz Natal means
'Feliz' means happy and 'Natal' means Christmas, so the phrase is 'Happy Christmas'. Natal is related to the Latin word for birth.
Other ways to say it in Portuguese
Boas Festas
Say it like this: BOH-ahs FES-tahs (Brazil) or BOH-ahsh FESH-tuhsh (Portugal)
Means "good holidays". A friendly wish for the whole season, often written on cards.
Happy New Year
Feliz Ano Novo
Say it like this: feh-LEES AH-noo NOH-voo
Happy New Year
To write in a Christmas card
Feliz Natal e um próspero Ano Novo
Say it like this: feh-LEES nah-TOW ee oom PROS-peh-roo AH-noo NOH-voo
Where people speak Portuguese
BrazilPortugalAngolaMozambiqueCape VerdeGuinea-BissauSão Tomé and PríncipeTimor-Leste
Portuguese (Português) belongs to the Romance (Indo-European) language family.
Hear it from Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train around the world. He reaches São Paulo at about 12:12 AM local time, then visits Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon, Praia, and kids learn to say Feliz Natal as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in São Paulo →Christmas traditions where people speak Portuguese
- Consoada, the Christmas Eve supper: In Portugal, the main meal, called Consoada, is eaten on the evening of December 24. It traditionally features salted cod with vegetables, potatoes and boiled eggs. People then attend the Missa do Galo, or Rooster's Mass.[3]
- Bolo-rei, the king cake: A round fruit cake called bolo-rei sits in the center of the Portuguese Christmas table. A broad bean and a small gift are hidden inside. Whoever finds the bean must pay for next year's cake.[3]
- Late supper and presépio in Brazil: In Brazil, families eat a late Christmas Eve supper, around 10 or 11 p.m., often with turkey and a sweet fried toast called rabanada. Many homes also set up a presépio, or nativity scene, next to the tree.[5][4]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Portuguese
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Celebrate with kids
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- SpanishFeliz Navidad
- QuechuaSumaq kausay kachun Navidad qampaq
- NavajoNizhónígo Késhmish Da’doołeeł
- Greenlandic (Kalaallisut)Juullimi pilluarit
- CherokeeᎤᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᏓᏂᏍᏓᏲᎯᎲ
- Haitian CreoleJwaye Nwèl
- GuaraniFeliz Navidad
- SwahiliKrismasi njema
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Portuguese?
The most common way is "Feliz Natal", used in both Brazil and Portugal. You will also see "Boas Festas", which means good holidays, on many cards. Together they cover Christmas and the New Year. The same spelling works in all Portuguese-speaking countries.[1]
How do you pronounce Feliz Natal in Brazil and Portugal?
In Brazil, say "feh-LEES nah-TOW", with the final l sounding like a w. In Portugal, say "fuh-LEESH nuh-TAHL": the final z sounds like sh, the l is clear, and the first vowels are very short. Both versions are correct, so choose the accent you are teaching.[1]
What does Feliz Natal mean?
Feliz means happy and Natal means Christmas, so the phrase means Happy Christmas. Natal is related to the Latin word for birth, and it points to the birth of Jesus in the Christmas story. Portuguese uses feliz for happy where English says merry.[1]
How do you write Feliz Natal?
Write it as Feliz Natal. Portuguese has no accent marks in these two words. Both start with a capital letter on cards, and Natal keeps its capital because it is the name of a holiday. Portugal and Brazil use the same spelling for this greeting.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Portuguese?
Say "Feliz Ano Novo" (feh-LEES AH-noo NOH-voo) in Brazil. In Portugal, it sounds like "fuh-LEESH AH-noo NOH-voo". Cards often combine both greetings: "Feliz Natal e um próspero Ano Novo", which wishes a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year. People say it from December 26 until about January 1.[2]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Portuguese?
Feliz Natal is polite for everyone. For a more formal card, write "Desejo-lhe um Feliz Natal" in Portugal, or "Desejo a você um Feliz Natal" in Brazil. Both mean I wish you a Merry Christmas. With friends and children, the short greeting is best.[1]
When do people say Feliz Natal?
People say it from early December through December 25, and especially on Christmas Eve. In Brazil, many families greet each other at the late-night supper and after Midnight Mass, called Missa do Galo. After that, wishes switch to Feliz Ano Novo.[4][5]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in Portuguese-speaking places?
Christmas Eve is the main event in Portugal and Brazil. Families share a long dinner on December 24, then many go to Midnight Mass. In Portugal, the supper is called Consoada. Christmas Day on December 25 is a quieter day for relaxing with family.[3][4]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in Portugal and Brazil?
The nativity scene, called a presépio, is very popular in both countries and appears in homes and churches. In Portugal, the bolo-rei, a ring-shaped fruit cake with a hidden broad bean and prize, is a favorite. In Brazil, the late supper often includes rabanada, a sweet fried toast.[3][5]
How can I teach kids to say Feliz Natal?
Clap the syllables: fe-LIZ na-TAL. Decide whether you are teaching Brazilian or European pronunciation, and keep to one. Make a card together and draw the presépio. Kids also enjoy hearing about the bolo-rei and its hidden bean.[3]
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.
- merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
- Christmas in Portugal, WhyChristmas.com
- Christmas in Brazil, WhyChristmas.com
- Observance of Christmas by country, Wikipedia