Merry Christmas in Tamil
கிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள்
Kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ
Say it like this: kih-RIS-too-mus VAAZH-thook-kul
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Tamil, Merry Christmas is கிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ), said like kih-RIS-too-mus VAAZH-thook-kul.
- Happy New Year is புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Puttāṇṭu vāḻttukkaḷ).
- People say it in India (Tamil Nadu), Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia.
What Kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ means
'Kiṟistumas' (Christmas, borrowed from English) + 'vāḻttukkaḷ' (wishes). Together it means Christmas wishes.
Tamil is written in its own script, which has curved, rounded letters and is read from left to right.
Other ways to say it in Tamil
இனிய கிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள்
Iṉiya kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ
Say it like this: ih-NIH-yah kih-RIS-too-mus VAAZH-thook-kul
Adds iniya, which means sweet or pleasant, for a warmer wish. Often used on cards.
கிறிஸ்துமஸ் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்
Kiṟistumas nalvāḻttukkaḷ
Say it like this: kih-RIS-too-mus NAL-vaazh-thook-kul
Means 'Christmas good wishes'. Listed on Wiktionary as a Tamil Merry Christmas.
Happy New Year
புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்
Puttāṇṭu vāḻttukkaḷ
Say it like this: poot-TAAN-doo VAAZH-thook-kul
new year wishes
To write in a Christmas card
கிறிஸ்துமஸ் மற்றும் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்
Kiṟistumas maṟṟum puttāṇṭu vāḻttukkaḷ
Say it like this: kih-RIS-too-mus MUT-rum poot-TAAN-doo VAAZH-thook-kul
Where people speak Tamil
India (Tamil Nadu)Sri LankaSingaporeMalaysia
Tamil (தமிழ்) belongs to the Dravidian 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 Tamil today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Tamil
- Midnight mass and plum cake: Many Tamil Catholic families go to mass at 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve. After midnight they cut a plum cake together, and many families share a toast to mark the start of Christmas Day.[2]
- Snack making at home: Mothers and grandmothers begin cooking days ahead, from about December 20. They fry achu murukku and achappam, which are crispy cookies shaped like roses, along with sweet adirasam and crescent shaped somas.[2]
- A big Christmas Day meal: Christmas breakfast is often idli or appam with chicken stew. Lunch can be biryani with raita, followed by bread halwa. Some families now add roast chicken or turkey biryani to the table.[2]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Tamil
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- Kannadaಕ್ರಿಸ್ಮಸ್ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು
- Malayalamക്രിസ്തുമസ് ആശംസകൾ
- Teluguక్రిస్మస్ శుభాకాంక్షలు
- Laoສຸກສັນ ວັນຄຣິດສະມາດ
- Nepaliक्रिसमसको शुभकामना
- MongolianЗул сарын мэнд хүргэе
- Japaneseメリークリスマス
- MalaySelamat Hari Krismas
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Tamil?
You can say "கிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள்" (Kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ). Vāḻttukkaḷ means wishes, and it is the usual word Tamil speakers add to a holiday. Wiktionary also lists கிறிஸ்துமஸ் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள், which adds nal, meaning good, to the wish.[1]
How do you pronounce "Kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ"?
Say it like this: kih-RIS-too-mus VAAZH-thook-kul. The capital letters show the part to stress. The ḻ in vāḻttukkaḷ is a special Tamil sound made by curling the tongue back a little. Beginners can say it close to a soft r or l.
What does "Kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ" mean?
It means Christmas wishes. Kiṟistumas is the English word Christmas as Tamil speakers say it, and vāḻttukkaḷ means wishes. The same word ending is used for birthdays, weddings and New Year, so children can reuse it all year.[1]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Tamil?
In Tamil script it is கிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள். In English letters you may see Kiristumas vazhthukkal or Christmas vazhthukkal, because there is no single standard for writing Tamil in Latin letters. For a printed poster or card, it is wise to ask a Tamil speaker to check the spelling first.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Tamil?
Happy New Year is "புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்" (Puttāṇṭu vāḻttukkaḷ), said like poot-TAAN-doo VAAZH-thook-kul. It means new year wishes. It is used on January 1. The traditional Tamil New Year, Puthandu, falls in mid April. On a card you can write both greetings together.[1]
Is there a formal and a casual way to say Merry Christmas in Tamil?
Adding iniya, as in Iniya kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ, gives a warm, polite feel that suits cards and elders. The shorter form is fine for friends and messages. With elders, say it with a smile and a respectful tone.[1]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Tamil?
People say it when they meet on Christmas Eve, after midnight mass, and all through Christmas Day when visiting relatives and neighbours. It is also written on cards and sent in messages before December 25.[2]
Is the main Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for Tamil speakers?
Both days matter. Many families attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve and cut a plum cake afterwards. Christmas Day is then spent with a big family meal and visits, so the greeting is used on both days.[2]
What is a Christmas tradition for Tamil speaking families?
Families start cooking snacks days before Christmas, around December 20. They fry achu murukku and achappam, which are crispy rose shaped cookies, and make adirasam and somas. After midnight mass, they cut a plum cake.[2]
How can I teach Tamil Christmas words to kids?
Start small. Teach kiṟistumas first, since it sounds like Christmas. Then add vāḻttukkaḷ in two parts: vaazh and thook-kul. Say the greeting together a few times, then write it on a card. Children can also learn the cookie name achu murukku, a Tamil Christmas treat.
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.
