Nothing sounds better than speaking like a Spanish speaker. All languages contain a wide variety of expressions and sayings that enrich their culture.
Be creative this year when wishing a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year in Spanish. It’s not just about using Christmas phrases in Spanish, but also about using your imagination to surprise the people you love the most.
From Christmas cards to personalised videos, use a proper Spanish Christmas vocabulary this year.
The Funniest Ones
- ¡Te ha tocado el gordo!
“El gordo” is the biggest prize in the Spanish Christmas lottery. Precisely because of this, this Christmas expression is used on a daily basis throughout the year to express that someone has had a stroke of luck.
¿Te vas a Santander esta Navidad? ¡Caray! ¡Te ha tocado el gordo!
(Are you going to Santander this Christmas? Blimey, you’ve hit the jackpot!)
2. ¡Es más viejo que los Reyes Magos!
The Three Kings arrive every January 6th to bring presents to children. In Spain, it is very common to find the eternal debate about whether families prefer to receive a visit from Father Christmas or the Three Kings. Well, it seems that the Three Kings continue to win because they have been in the Spanish culture for more years.
Precisely, we use this expression to say that a person is quite old and does not adapt to modern times.
¡No seas más viejo que los Reyes Magos y deja que el niño llegue tarde a casa!
(Don’t be a traditionalist and let the child come home late!)
The Classic Ones
3. Que todos tus deseos se hagan realidad
At Christmas, we all want to wish our loved ones the very best, so as the holidays approach we want them to know that we remember them and that we want them to do well.
This is one of the many ways you can wish your nearest and dearest a Merry Christmas.
Por esta Navidad espero que todos tus deseos se hagan realidad.
(For this Christmas I hope all your wishes come true.)
4. ¡Feliz Navidad y próspero Año Nuevo!
Legend has it that you should wish everyone around you New Year’s greetings for good luck. Whether it is true or not, it is always nice to wish the best to others; they are small actions that enrich the soul and make us happier. Take the opportunity to express to your loved ones what they mean to you.
¡Os deseo a todos feliz Navidad y un próspero Año Nuevo! ¡Brindemos!
(I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Let’s toast!)
The Gastronomic Ones
5. Salir rodando
I suppose this is the most normal thing in all cultures, but at Christmas, we eat a lot. There is always a multitude of Christmas meals, such as work, family and friends. Some even take the opportunity to go out for dinner with school friends from when they were at high school or with people from the gym.
Well, from eating so much, we put on weight and figuratively, we get fatter and rounder, hence we can “roll around”. This is very common in Spain and Argentina.
Como sigamos comiendo así, vamos a salir rodando.
(If we keep eating like this, we’ll be full as a tick.)
6. Te van a dar las uvas
In Spain and in many Latin American countries, such as Venezuela, Peru, Argentina and Mexico, it is a tradition to eat twelve grapes at midnight on 31st December. It is the best way to say goodbye to the year that is leaving and welcome the new year.
These twelve chimes sound every few seconds, so you have to eat the grapes very quickly with each chime. This expression, therefore, means “to be late”.
¿Has comprado ya los regalos de Navidad? ¡Al final te van a dar las uvas!
(Have you bought your Christmas presents yet? You’re going to be late!)
Enjoy Christmas and write in Spanish
Christmas is a time to be with family and loved ones, but it is also a time to think about new challenges and get excited about new year’s resolutions.
iScribo is here to help you improve your written Spanish so that you can progress with the level you have in this language. Whether you are a native speaker or a beginner, everyone makes mistakes when writing. Try our tool this Christmas and discover its magic, ¡que no te den las uvas! Can you tell us what expressions you know and how you wish your loved ones a Merry Christmas? Leave us a comment and let’s share the most magical time of the year.
