Learning to say Merry Christmas in Irish

If you were to say Happy Christmas to just one other person, you would say:

"Nollaig Shona Duit"
(NO-Lihg HO-nuh ghwich).
However, if you were to be addressing the same greeting to two or more persons, you would say:
"Nollaig Shona Daoibh"
(NO-Lihg HO-nuh JEEV)
This literally means "You have a Happy Christmas."


The most common response to this would be: "Nollaig Mhaith Chugat"
(NO-lihg Wy HU-gut)
Literally-"A good Christmas to you."

If one were to wish someone a "Happy New Year," he or she would say:

"Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Duit"
(AH-vlee ihn fwee WAH-shuh wich)

And if one were to be addressing two or more other persons, he or she would say:
"Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Daoibh"
(AH vlee-ihn fwee WAH-shuh Heev)
Literally-"You have a Prosperous New Year."

Just as in English, the two expressions are often combined to say “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” as follows:

“Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Duit.”
(NO-lihg HO-nuh AH-guhs AH-vlee-ihn fwee WAH-shuh wich).

Le gach dea-ghui i gcomhair na nollag agus na h-ath bhliana! (With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year!)

The plural of this would be:
“Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Daoibh.”
(NO-lihg HO-nuh AH-guhs AH-vlee-ihn fwee WAH-shuh HEEV).

For every greeting above, the common response is:
“Go mba hé duit”
(guh may hay wich)
Meaning: “The same to you.”

Irish: Nollaig Shona dhuit/dhíbh*
Pronunciation: null-ig hun-ah gwich/yeev
*singular/plural