Merry Christmas in Swedish
God jul
Say it like this: good YOOL
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Swedish, Merry Christmas is God jul, said like good YOOL.
- Happy New Year is Gott nytt år.
- People say it in Sweden, Finland (Swedish speakers), Åland.
What God jul means
'God' means good and 'jul' means Yule, the old Nordic midwinter feast. Swedes still use the word jul for Christmas, so it is 'Good Yule'.
Other ways to say it in Swedish
Glad jul
Say it like this: glahd YOOL
Means "glad Yule". Another cheerful way to wish someone a happy Christmas.
Happy New Year
Gott nytt år
Say it like this: got NEWT ohr
Happy New Year (literally "good new year")
To write in a Christmas card
God jul och gott nytt år
Say it like this: good YOOL ok got NEWT ohr
Where people speak Swedish
SwedenFinland (Swedish speakers)Åland
Swedish (Svenska) belongs to the Germanic (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 Stockholm at about 12:00 AM local time, and kids learn to say God jul as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in Stockholm →Christmas traditions where people speak Swedish
- Lucia on December 13: On December 13, Swedes celebrate St. Lucia's Day. Children and some adults dress in white and hold processions. The girl chosen as Lucia wears a crown of candles, and everyone enjoys saffron buns.[3][4]
- The julbord feast: The traditional Christmas Eve meal is the julbord, a smorgasbord with many classic dishes, such as ham, small sausages and rice porridge. A big restaurant julbord can have fifty or more dishes.[3][4]
- Donald Duck on TV at three o'clock: On Christmas Eve afternoon, Swedish television shows a Disney special called Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul, or Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas. Many families gather to watch it.[3][4]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Swedish
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- DanishGlædelig jul
- DutchVrolijk kerstfeest
- GermanFrohe Weihnachten
- IcelandicGleðileg jól
- NorwegianGod jul
- CzechVeselé Vánoce
- LatvianPriecīgus Ziemassvētkus
- GreekΚαλά Χριστούγεννα
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Swedish?
The most common way is "God jul" (good YOOL). You may also hear "Glad jul", which means glad Yule, and cards often say "God jul och gott nytt år" for Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. All are friendly and used all across Sweden.[1][2]
How do you pronounce God jul?
Say "good YOOL". The g in god is hard, like in good, and the d is nearly silent. The j in jul sounds like an English y. The u in jul is a special Swedish vowel, made by rounding your lips as for oo while saying ee. Try YEWL.[1]
What does God jul mean?
God means good and jul means Yule, the old Nordic winter feast that Swedes still call Christmas. So the phrase means Good Yule. Swedes also use the word jul in compounds such as julklapp (a Christmas gift) and julbord (the Christmas table).[1][3]
How do you write God jul?
Write it as God jul. Swedish common nouns are not capitalized, so jul has a small j. On cards, only the first word is capitalized: God jul. The å in gott nytt år has a small circle above the a and sounds like the o in more.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Swedish?
Say "Gott nytt år" (got NEWT ohr), which means good new year. Cards often combine both wishes: "God jul och gott nytt år". On New Year's Eve, many Swedes watch fireworks and some enjoy a festive dinner with friends and family.[2]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Swedish?
God jul is polite for everyone. Swedes use du for most people, even teachers, so there is no big difference between formal and casual. In a card to someone you respect, you can write "Jag önskar dig en god jul", which means I wish you a Merry Christmas.[1]
When do people say God jul in Sweden?
People say it from the first Advent Sunday, but especially in the last days before December 24 and on Christmas Eve itself. Swedes also say it on Christmas Day, December 25, and on December 26. After that, they switch to Gott nytt år for the New Year.[3]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in Sweden?
Christmas Eve, called julafton, is the main celebration. Families eat the julbord, watch Kalle Anka on TV at three o'clock, and open gifts that evening. Gifts traditionally arrive with Jultomten. December 25 is a quiet public holiday for relaxing with family.[3][4]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in Sweden?
St. Lucia's Day on December 13 is a favorite. Children dress in white, sing songs and carry candles, and one child wears a crown of candles. Lucia means light, which suits the dark Swedish winter. People enjoy saffron buns called lussekatter.[3][4]
How can I teach kids to say God jul?
Teach it as two short words: good, YOOL. Kids can practice the Swedish u by rounding their lips and saying ee. Sing a simple carol, light a battery candle crown for a Lucia day, and write God jul on a small card.[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.
Buy on AmazonSources
We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
- Christmas in Sweden, Wikipedia
- Christmas in Sweden, WhyChristmas.com
