How to Say "Merry Christmas" in Korean

The everyday way to say it is 메리 크리스마스 (meri keuriseumaseu). Korean changes the ending depending on who you talk to, so here are the forms you'll actually hear.

Phrase · audio · pronunciation
Polite

메리 크리스마스

meri keuriseumaseu

Strangers, shop staff, coworkers and most adults. The safe default.

Formal

즐거운 성탄절 보내세요

jeulgeoun seongtanjeol bonaeseyo

Speeches, customers, older people and first meetings at work.

When to use it

Koreans mostly just say 메리 크리스마스. 즐거운 크리스마스 보내세요 ("have a happy Christmas") is common in messages. In Korea Christmas is a couples' holiday, a bit like Valentine's Day.

Letter by letter: 메리 크리스마스

Korean is written in syllable blocks. Here is what each block of 메리 크리스마스 is made of.

BlockLettersSounds
메ㅁ + ㅔㅁ m, ㅔ e
리ㄹ + ㅣㄹ r / l, ㅣ i
크ㅋ + ㅡㅋ k, ㅡ eu
리ㄹ + ㅣㄹ r / l, ㅣ i
스ㅅ + ㅡㅅ s, ㅡ eu
마ㅁ + ㅏㅁ m, ㅏ a
스ㅅ + ㅡㅅ s, ㅡ eu

New to the letters? Tap through the Hangul chart to hear each one.

How to type it

On a standard Korean keyboard (2-set), press these keys in order:

AㅁPㅔFㄹLㅣSpace␣ZㅋMㅡFㄹLㅣTㅅMㅡAㅁKㅏTㅅMㅡ

Practice with the online Korean keyboard, or learn the layout in the typing test.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "Merry Christmas" in Korean?

The everyday polite way is 메리 크리스마스 (meri keuriseumaseu). The formal version is 즐거운 성탄절 보내세요. With close friends, say 메리 크리스마스.

How do you pronounce 메리 크리스마스?

It sounds like "meri keuriseumaseu". Press the speaker button on this page to hear it.

Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean, with sound changes. Audio: a recorded native-sounding Korean voice.
Last checked: 2026-10-20