Easter brings chirping chicks, painted eggs, and chocolate bunnies to celebrants all over the world. But how do people in different countries greet each other for this festive holiday, and how do they celebrate it?
From Sretan Uskrs to Feliz Páscoa, we’ve made a list of ways to wish “Happy Easter” in 21 different languages. Find out where in the world you might see an Easter bunny vs. an Easter witch, which country makes Easter time an unofficial true crime marathon, and where you can find an Easter omelet big enough for a whole town.
Table of Contents
21 ways to wish ‘Happy Easter’ around the world
In Christian religions, Easter is a celebration of Jesus rising from the dead after three days. Countries such as Ireland and the Philippines, which have majority Christian and Catholic populations, celebrate Easter Sunday and the weeklong event called Holy Week. Non-Christian majority countries, such as Iraq and Turkey, reserve the feasts and services for smaller Christian populations.
Learn how to say “Happy Easter” in different languages like Spanish, Greek, Italian, and more, so you can greet Easter celebrants wherever you are.
| Language | “Happy Easter” | Pronunciation |
| Arabic | عيد فصح سعيد (Eid fash saeid) | eed fahsh SIH-eed |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 祝你们复活节快乐 (Fùhuó jié kuàilè) | FOO-hwo jee kawi-leh |
| Croatian | Sretan Uskrs | SREY-ten OOS-kers |
| Dutch | Fijne Pasen | FIH-neh PASS-en |
| French | Joyeuses Pâques | ZHOY-ooh pahk |
| German | Frohe Ostern | FROH-ey OHST-ern |
| Greek | Καλό Πάσχα (Kaló Páscha) | KAH-lo PAS-kah |
| Hindi | हैप्पी ईस्टर (haippee eestar) | HAP-ee EE-ster |
| Hungarian | Kellemes húsvéti ünnepeket | KELL-eh-mesh HOOSH-veh-tee OOH-neh-peh-ket |
| Irish | Beannachtaí na Cásca ort | BYAN-okh-tee nah KAWS-kah ohrt |
| Italian | Buona Pasqua | boo-OHN-nah PAS-kwah |
| Norwegian | God påske | GOO PAHS-keh |
| Polish | Wesołego Alleluja | veh-soh-LEH-goh ah-leh-LOO-yah |
| Portuguese | Feliz Páscoa | feh-LEES PAHS-kwah |
| Romanian | Paște fericit | PAHS-teh feh-ree-CHEET |
| Russian | Счастливой Пасхи (Schastlivoy Paskhi) | shash-LEE-voy PAHS-yeh |
| Spanish | Felices Pascuas | feh-LEES-ehs PAHS-kwass |
| Swedish | Glad påsk | gee-YAD pahsk |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | Maligayang Pasko | mahl-ee-gai-YAHNG pahs-KOH |
| Turkish | Mutlu Paskalyalar | MOOT-loo PAHS-kahl-yah-lahr |
| Vietnamese | Chúc mừng lễ Phục sinh | CHOOK mung LEH fook sing |
Where does the word ‘Easter’ come from?
You may have noticed that German is the only language on the above list that uses a word that sounds like the English “Easter” (Ostern). That’s because English and German are both Germanic languages. Both words for the Easter holiday likely come from the pagan goddess of springtime: the Anglo-Saxon name Eostre and the German name of Ostara.
Most other languages’ names for Easter originate from the Greek Pascha, which comes from the Hebrew Pesach (the celebration of Passover), which is the Jewish commemoration of the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian slavery.
Romance languages use similar variations of this word, such as the French Pâques and Spanish Pascuas. They follow the Latin greeting for “Happy Easter,” which is Felix Pascha (literally, “Happy Passover!”) because the first Christian Easter celebrations occurred during the Jewish Passover season. Discover the origins and vocabularies of these languages when you learn more about how Rosetta Stone works!
Arabic: عيد فصح سعيد (Eid fash saeid)
As Arabic is the language of Islam, most Arabic-speaking countries don’t widely celebrate Easter. But Christians in the Middle East, particularly countries like Iraq and Lebanon, do have their own Easter traditions.
In Iraq, celebrants prepare the feast of Alklejeh (Easter feast) with a traditional pacha, which includes a boiled sheep’s head and stomach cooked in broth. Lebanese Christians enjoy maamoul, which are shortbread treats covered with icing and filled with pistachios or walnuts. If you’re invited to an Easter feast with these delicacies, greet your host with the Arabic phrase Eid fash saeid!
Chinese: 祝你们复活节快乐 (Fùhuó jié kuàilè)
Most Chinese Easter traditions mirror Western Easter traditions, including painting Easter eggs (复活节彩色蛋, Fuhuojie caisedan) and hiding them for egg hunts. In some parts of mainland China, Easter is celebrated as festively as Chinese New Year, with red paper lanterns decorating Christian churches during the Easter season.
Hong Kong’s history under British rule makes Easter a popular holiday there. The period between Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays, and you’re likely to hear greetings of Fùhuó jié kuàilè as you walk down the streets of Hong Kong cities.
Croatian: Sretan Uskrs
Around 79% of the Croatian population is Catholic, making Easter a very popular holiday in this country. Celebrants engage in many public festivals, including parading through the streets with palm branches on Palm Sunday and singing Easter songs around the vuzmenice (Easter bonfire) on Holy Saturday.
Croatians also paint and hide Easter eggs, known as Uskrsnja jaja. If you’re celebrating Easter in Croatia, feel free to wish “Happy Easter” with the greeting Sretan Uskrs!
Dutch: Fijne Pasen
When the Dutch celebrate Påske (Easter), they decorate with fresh spring flowers, eggs, feathers, and any other natural, colorful symbol of the season. They make gækkebreve, a paper craft with cut patterns and poetry inside and enjoy Påskefrokost (Easter lunch) with a cup of Påskebryg (Easter beer).
Whether you’re traveling to Denmark for the Easter holiday or you’re visiting a Dutch-speaking friend, the greeting Fijne Pasen expresses your good wishes for this special holiday.
French: Joyeuses Pâques
Why settle for one Easter egg when you can have 15,000—and put them into an omelette? A visit to Bessieres, France, during Easter brings you up close and personal to the cooking of the world’s biggest omelette. French Easter celebrations also include les cloches de Pâques (magic bells that fly to Rome to bring back gifts for the children), la chasse aux oeufs (egg hunt), and a traditional Easter meal of lamb.
After you’ve finished your bite of omelette and leg of lamb, be sure to wish “Happy Easter” in French with the phrase Joyeuses Pâques!
German: Frohe Ostern
Frohe Ostern means “Happy Easter” in German. To prepare for the Easter feast (and to end the Lenten period), Germans celebrate Gründonnerstag (Green Thursday) the night before Good Friday. Gründonnerstag includes a vegetarian meal of salads and vegetables, saving any meat dishes for the next day’s festivities.
In some areas, you can also watch the Osterfeuer (Easter bonfire) on Holy Saturday, a tradition held over from the pagan roots of the Easter holiday, or decorate Ostereierbaum (Easter trees) with Ostereier (Easter eggs).
Greek: Καλό Πάσχα (Kaló Páscha)
While you say Kaló Páscha to say “Happy Easter” in Greek, you say Christos Anesti (Christ is risen) when you play tsougrisma (the red egg game). Players tap the ends of red-dyed kokkina avga (Easter eggs) together to see which egg will crack first. The response given by the other player is Alithos Anesti (Indeed, He has risen).
In Greece, Christians celebrate Orthodox Easter, which is usually on a different day than Easter in non-Orthodox countries. They also engage in Roukettopolemos (rocket wars) between rival churches in Vrontados, throw pots on the ground in Corfu to represent a Biblical earthquake, and enjoy a lavish Greek feast featuring kleftiko (slow-roasted lamb).
Hindi: हैप्पी ईस्टर (Haippee eestar)
Thanks to India’s historical ties to the British Empire, many regions celebrate Easter in traditionally European ways—with a few Indian twists. They host egg hunts and visit church services during the Easter holiday, then finish the celebration with traditional stews, egg curry, and baked bananas.
Easter is mainly celebrated in Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and other states with larger Christian populations. You can greet celebrants with Haippee eestar, which sounds almost exactly like the English “Happy Easter!”
Hungarian: Kellemes húsvéti ünnepeket
After a 40-day period of fasting known as húsvét, Hungarian Christians are ready to celebrate Easter and the beginning of spring. Traditionally, Hungarian men used to douse women with buckets of water as a fertility rite, but this custom has changed to a spritz of perfume or cologne instead.
Women and girls then hand out painted hímestojás (Easter eggs) and share a feast of braided scone, lamb, and pálinka, a Hungarian brandy. Wish your Hungarian friends and hosts “Happy Easter” with the phrase Kellemes húsvéti ünnepeket!
Irish: Beannachtaí na Cásca ort
Whether you’re in Northern Ireland or a southern county on Easter, you’ll find that Easter is a big celebration in Ireland. It begins with the customary 40-day Lenten period on Ash Wednesday, leading up to Holy Week and a sunrise service on Easter morning. An Irish Easter feast brings in traditions from the Celtic festival of Imbolc, a springtime occasion to make offerings to the Celtic goddess of fertility, Brigid.
You’ll also find many modern Eastern symbols at an Irish Easter celebration, including chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, and a large Easter parade in Dublin. Say Beannachtaí na Cásca ort if you happen to celebrate Easter on the Emerald Isle this year!
Italian: Buona Pasqua
If you love cheese, fireworks, and torta pasqualina (Easter pie), you’ll enjoy spending Easter in Italy. The scoppio del carro (literally, explosion of the cart) is a popular and time-honored Easter tradition in Florence, where viewers enjoy the sight of a 17th-century firework-laden cart lit to celebrate the holiday. In Panicale, celebrants mark the special day with Ruzzolone, a cheese-rolling contest through the city on Easter Monday.
And no matter where you are, you can end the Easter celebration with an Italian feast of uova di cioccolato (chocolate eggs), abbacchio (roasted lamb), and torta pasqualina, a special pie made with Swiss chard, ricotta, and hard-boiled eggs. Wish “Happy Easter” in Italian with the phrase Buona Pasqua!
Norwegian: God påske
If curling up on the couch and reading a crime novel is your idea of a perfect Easter celebration, consider a trip to Norway this spring. Påskekrim means “Easter crime” in Norwegian, and it’s a time for book and television lovers to indulge in their favorite true crime novels and shows.
Between chapters or episodes, enjoy traditional Norwegian fårikål (mutton stew) and påskeegg (Easter eggs). along with a drink of påskeøl (Easter beer). Toast God påske and get back to finding out whodunnit!
Polish: Wesołego Alleluja
Saying “Happy Easter” in Polish is a little different from other countries. Polish uses the word Alleluja to signify Easter in the greeting Wesołego Alleluja, rather than the word “Easter” or Pascha. And if you’re attending in person, you’re likely to get drenched, especially when you’re involved in Smigus-Dyngus, the Polish water fight tradition held on Easter Monday.
During the drier moments of Polish Easter, you can enjoy folar da páscoa (bread with hard boiled eggs in the middle) and decorating pisanki, intricately designed Easter eggs.
Portuguese: Feliz Páscoa
Portuguese Easter traditions range from solemn and religious to big and explosive (literally). After the Procissão do Enterro do Senhor (Procession of the Lord’s Funeral) on the evening of Good Friday, parts of Portugal and Brazil practice the Queima do Judas, in which participants burn effigies of Judas Iscariot, Biblical betrayer of Jesus. In São Paulo, Brazil, the effigies get larger every year and are often blown up with dynamite.
Enjoy bacalhau (codfish) and a handful of amêndoas (Easter almonds) as you say Feliz Páscoa to the guests at a Portuguese feast!
Romanian: Paște fericit
Romanian Easter celebrants take their painted eggs to a new level. Painted and sometimes beaded with delicate detail, Romanian Easter eggs are a tradition passed down between generations. As Romanian Easter is Orthodox Easter, many of Romanian’s Easter traditions mirror Greek traditions, including egg fights and a lamb feast.
Some Romanian Easter celebrations are more modern, while others involve traditional garb, customary bonfires, and Easter feasts with drob (lamb) and Pasca (Easter bread). Greet Romanian people on Easter with the phrase Paște fericit!
Russian: Счастливой Пасхи (Schastlivoy Paskhi)
There are two main ways to say “Happy Easter” in Russian. First, you can say Schastlivoy Paskhi, which translates to “Happy Easter.” You can also greet Russian Easter celebrants with three kisses on the cheek, then the phrase Khristos voskrese! (Christ has risen). The other person then says Voistinu voskres (Indeed, he has risen).
Russian Easter traditions include many Orthodox Easter customs, along with kulich (Easter bread), all-night church vigils, krashenki (painted eggs), and a Russian Easter cheese dessert known as paskha.
Spanish: Felices Pascuas
If you’re in Spain during the famous Semana Santa (Holy Week), you’ll find so many things to do and see nearly every moment you’re there. From palm processions on Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) to elaborate pasos carried year after year down city streets, Easter in Spain is a time of both reflection and celebration in Spain.
Easter in Mexico includes many of the same Semana Santa traditions, as well as regional customs like cascarones: hollowed-out Easter eggs filled with confetti, ready to crack over someone’s head for good luck. Wish friends and family a “Happy Easter” in Spanish by saying Felices Pascuas!
Swedish: Glad påsk
In Sweden, witches aren’t just for Halloween. In a nod to the holiday’s pagan roots, Swedish children dress up as påskkärringar (Easter witches) and give their neighbors crafts and cards in exchange for candy and Easter treats. They find eggs hidden by the påskharen (Easter hare) and light påskbrasa (Easter fires) to ward off evil spirits in the coming season.
Enjoy a Swedish smörgåsbord of lamb, herring, and egg dishes, and wish everyone a Glad påsk on Easter Sunday!
Tagalog: Maligayang Pasko
As the Philippines is a majority Catholic country, Pasko ng Pagkabuhay (Easter celebrations) are a big deal nationwide. Religious traditions such as Visita Iglesia (seven church visits on Maundy Thursday), the Santo Entierro (procession of the burial of Christ), and crucifixion reenactments are common in various Filipino provinces.
A traditional Filipino Easter feast includes kare-kare (oxtail stew), lumpia (spring rolls), and lechon (roast pig). Be sure to wish your Filipino host “Happy Easter” by saying Maligayang Pasko!
Turkish: Mutlu Paskalyalar
Although Türkiye is mainly a Muslim country, it does have a small Christian population who celebrates Easter. In Istanbul, you can find Paskalya çöreği (bread with an egg in the middle) for sale in local bakeries, visit the House of the Virgin Mary on Mount Koressos (Bülbüldağı in Turkish), and observe a service at the Church of Sent Antuan.
The Turkish greeting Mutlu Paskalyalar translates directly to “Happy Easter,” but only use it when you’re sure the person you’re speaking to does celebrate Easter.
Vietnamese: Chúc mừng lễ Phục sinh
Although only 9% of the Vietnamese population is Christian or Catholic, it’s not difficult to find Easter celebrations in Vietnam. Influences from its years under European colonial rule brought Easter traditions to major Vietnamese cities. Today, Easter celebrants spend the holiday at local festivals and services in Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi.
If you’re in Vietnam for Easter or you’re enjoying a Vietnamese Easter feast of bánh chung (rice and pork sandwich) and egg coffee, wish “Happy Easter” to those around you with Chúc mừng lễ Phục sinh!
0 Commentaires