Merry Christmas in Welsh
Nadolig Llawen
Say it like this: nah-DOL-ig HLOW-en
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Welsh, Merry Christmas is Nadolig Llawen, said like nah-DOL-ig HLOW-en.
- Happy New Year is Blwyddyn Newydd Dda.
- People say it in Wales, Argentina (Patagonia).
What Nadolig Llawen means
'Nadolig' means Christmas and 'llawen' means merry or joyful. So it is 'Merry Christmas'.
Other ways to say it in Welsh
Happy New Year
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Say it like this: BLOO-ith-in NEH-ooth THAH
Happy New Year (literally "new year good")
To write in a Christmas card
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Say it like this: nah-DOL-ig HLOW-en ah BLOO-ith-in NEH-ooth THAH
Where people speak Welsh
WalesArgentina (Patagonia)
Welsh (Cymraeg) belongs to the Celtic (Brittonic, Indo-European) 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 Welsh today, then follow his trip.
Follow Rally on Christmas Eve →Christmas traditions where people speak Welsh
- Plygain carol services: Plygain is a traditional Welsh service held in church between three and six in the morning, traditionally on Christmas morning. Its carols tell the Christmas story and also the story of Easter.[3]
- The Mari Lwyd: In South Wales, a horse's skull on a pole, hidden under a sheet and carried by a person, visits houses at Christmastime. The group sings and tries to talk its way inside in a rhyming song battle called a pwnco.[4]
- Noson Gyflaith, toffee evening: Noson Gyflaith, or Toffee Evening, was mostly celebrated in North Wales. People gathered to play games, tell stories and make toffee by taking turns pulling the sticky slabs into long strands.[5]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Welsh
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Celebrate with kids
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- EsperantoFeliĉan Kristnaskon
- GermanFrohe Weihnachten
- NorwegianGod jul
- CatalanBon Nadal
- DutchVrolijk kerstfeest
- ItalianBuon Natale
- RomanianCrăciun fericit
- MalteseIl-Milied it-Tajjeb
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Welsh?
The Welsh way to say Merry Christmas is "Nadolig Llawen" (nah-DOL-ig HLOW-en). It is used in Wales and by Welsh speakers around the world, including in Patagonia in Argentina. Cards often add "a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda", and a Happy New Year.[1][2]
How do you pronounce Nadolig Llawen?
Say "nah-DOL-ig HLOW-en". The ll in llawen is a special Welsh sound: put your tongue in the l position and blow air out the sides, a bit like hl. The aw in llawen sounds like ow in the word cow. The stress is on the second syllable of Nadolig.[1]
What does Nadolig Llawen mean?
Nadolig means Christmas and llawen means merry or joyful, so the phrase is the same as Merry Christmas. The word Nadolig is related to the word natal, which links to the birth of Jesus. Llawen is also used in other greetings, such as Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Llawen.[1]
How do you write Nadolig Llawen?
Write it as Nadolig Llawen. Welsh uses the letters ll and dd as single letters, so Llawen starts with the special ll. On cards, both words usually begin with a capital letter. There are no accents in this greeting, although Welsh sometimes uses a circumflex called a to'r bach.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Welsh?
Say "Blwyddyn Newydd Dda" (BLOO-ith-in NEH-ooth THAH). The dd is a th sound like in this, and the w in blwyddyn sounds like oo. Cards often read "Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda", which means Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.[2]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Welsh?
Nadolig Llawen is polite and friendly in every situation, including with teachers and elders. Welsh has no special formal Christmas wish in daily use. On a card, you can add "i chi", meaning to you, or "i chi gyd", to you all, for a group.[1]
When do people say Nadolig Llawen in Wales?
People say it from early December, especially in the week before Christmas and on December 25. Welsh speakers also share it in church services such as the plygain, held early in the morning, traditionally on Christmas Day. After that, they say Blwyddyn Newydd Dda.[3][5]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in Wales?
Christmas Day, December 25, is the main celebration, with church services, family meals and gifts. Traditionally the plygain service was held in the early hours of Christmas morning. Boxing Day, December 26, is a public holiday for visiting relatives.[3]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in Wales?
The Mari Lwyd is a very old Welsh custom in South Wales. People carry a horse's skull on a pole, hidden under a sheet, from house to house. They sing and try to enter by winning a rhyming battle with the household.[4]
How can I teach kids to say Nadolig Llawen?
Start with the ll sound, which kids find funny: put the tongue behind the top teeth and blow. Then say nah-DOL-ig and HLOW-en. Make a paper horse head, like the Mari Lwyd, and write Nadolig Llawen on it. Welsh is also spoken in Patagonia, which kids may like to find on a map.[4]
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
- Plygain, Wikipedia
- Mari Lwyd, Wikipedia
- Observance of Christmas by country, Wikipedia
