How to Say Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year in Swedish
Are you planning to spend the holidays in Sweden or want to impress your Swedish friends from afar? GREAT idea!
Sure, most Swedes speak English fluently, but it’s a lot more fun (and maybe a bit charming) to wish them a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year in their own language. Swedes love it when you make an effort -no matter how awkward your pronunciation might be. Trust me, it’s worth the try and I’m here to help you with all that.
So grab a warm drink (preferably glögg), and let’s get into the spirit of things. I’ll teach you how to master these greetings and share a few fun tidbits along the way!
How do you say Merry Christmas in Swedish?
Let’s start with the big one: Merry Christmas. In Swedish, it’s God Jul.
Phonetically, it is pronounced /ɡuː(d) jʉːl/ sounding more like “good-yul” when enunciated. In English, it means (what else?) Merry Christmas! It’s short, simple, and easy enough that you won’t stumble over it even after one too many cups of holiday glögg.
Here’s a fun fact: “Jul” (Christmas) comes from old Norse traditions and is closely tied to pre-Christian winter solstice celebrations. The word itself has spread across the Nordic region, which is why you’ll notice similar greetings in neighboring countries like Denmark and Norway.
Swedes are very open-minded and not easily offended. But if you want a more general greeting for the winter holidays, you can always use either:
Varma lyckönskningar – Warm wishes. Pronounce it: VAHR-mah (like “farm-a” with a ‘v’ at the start) LICK-erns-king-ar.
Trevlig helg – Happy holidays. Pronunciation: TRAY-vlee HELG
It can be quite a mouthful, though so most beginners tend to stick to “God Jul.”
Christmas is widely celebrated in Sweden and I haven’t met anyone (yet) who could get offended if you wished them a Merry Christmas instead of “Happy Holidays” or other more politically correct greetings. The Swedish culture is very open-minded anyway and people don’t get offended as easily – at least not with things like this.
How do you say Happy New Year in Swedish?
Gott Nytt År!
Don’t be overwhelmed – it is pronounced similar to how it is written and it sounds like “Gut-Nitt-Or.”
New Year’s in Sweden is all about fireworks (fyrverkerier), champagne, and – believe it or not – some introspection. Swedes take their Nyårslöften (New Year’s resolutions) seriously, so if you’re planning to make one, you might as well practice saying it in Swedish.
It’s a lot easier, anyway, than the more guttural and difficult to pronounce winter holiday greetings in Denmark. I’ve already talked about how to say Merry Christmas in Danish – make sure to check that article out if you’re curious!
Or if you want to stick to Swedish traditions, check out my article detailing how Swedes celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
Other winter greetings & words in the Swedish language
Now that you are familiar with the holiday pleasantries, here are some useful Christmas and winter-related words in Swedish to add to your Christmas vocabulary – or just to show off how much you’ve learned:
Snö – Snow
- Snöflinga – Snowflake
- Snögubbe – Snowman
- Juldagen – Christmas Day
- Jultomten – Santa Claus
- Pepparkakshus – Gingerbread House
- Mistel – Mistletoe
- Tomtenisse – Elf
- Fyrverkerier – Fireworks
- Nyårslöften – Resolutions
- Nyårsdagen – New Year’s Day
- Nyårsafton – New Year’s Eve
And just so you know, a present or gift in Swedish is also called “Present!”
Fun fact: Did you know Swedes have a long tradition of building intricate pepparkakshus (gingerbread houses)? They take this craft seriously, and some even enter competitions for the best designs.
Maybe give it a go and try building your own Swedish-style gingerbread masterpiece while practicing the greetings and winter-themed words above. Or take a break from practicing and check out my list of the most famous Swedish models. After all, eye candy doesn’t add up to your calories!
Conclusion
Now you’re ready to spread holiday cheer like a true Swede! Whether it’s a heartfelt God Jul, a cheerful Gott Nytt År, or just a warm smile paired with Trevlig helg, your effort will surely make someone’s holiday season brighter.
The truth is that you can simply go with the English greetings without a problem, as most people (probably all) will understand that anyway.
But if you have somebody special in Sweden, like an amazing Swedish woman or a charming Swedish man, it will be appreciated if you try and learn their language. Even if you don’t get the pronunciation right (it WILL always sound a bit strange to a native), trying will give you extra points for sure.
Have you tried these phrases yet? Or maybe you’ve experienced Swedish holiday celebrations firsthand? Share your stories in the comments below – I’d love to hear them. Until then, God Jul och Gott Nytt År!
