С пра́здником! How every holiday greeting works
Each greeting is short for Поздравля́ю с … (I congratulate you with …). The preposition с (with) needs the instrumental case, the form that means “with” or “by means of”. That’s why the holiday’s name changes its ending: Но́вый год becomes Но́вым го́дом.
| Greeting | Say it | Meaning, word for word |
|---|---|---|
| С Но́вым го́дом! ▸Happy New Year! | s NO-vym GO-dam | СwithНо́вымnewго́домyear |
| С Рождество́м! ▸Merry Christmas! | s razh-dist-VOM | СwithРождество́мChristmas |
| С днём рожде́ния! ▸Happy birthday! | z dnyom razh-DYE-ni-ya | Сwithднёмdayрожде́нияof birth |
| С пра́здником! ▸Happy holiday! (any) | s PRAZ-ni-kam | Сwithпра́здникомholiday |
| С 8 Ма́рта! ▸Happy Women’s Day! | s vas’-MYM MAR-ta | Сwith8eighthМа́ртаof March |
| С Днём Побе́ды! ▸Happy Victory Day! | z dnyom pa-BYE-dy | СwithДнёмdayПобе́дыof Victory |
| С сва́дьбой! ▸Congratulations on your wedding! | s SVAD’-bay | Сwithсва́дьбойwedding |
| С новосе́льем! ▸Happy house-warming! | s na-va-SYEL’-yem | Сwithновосе́льемhouse-warming |
The reply is the same for all of them: И вас та́кже! (i vas TAK-zhe; И = and, вас = you, та́кже = also): and the same to you. To a friend: И тебя́!
Но́вый год: the night that matters most
In the Soviet period Christmas was not celebrated, and its traditions moved to New Year: the tree, the presents, the family dinner. They stayed there. On 31 December the whole country sits at the table, listens to the president’s address, and counts down with the chimes of the Kremlin clock.
Holiday by holiday
Dates in Russian use the genitive case for the month (“the eighth of March”): 8 ма́рта. See Dates and time.
Birthdays and toasts
Russians make wishes with жела́ю (I wish), followed by the genitive case: жела́ю сча́стья, “I wish you (of) happiness”. A birthday person traditionally treats their colleagues, not the other way round.