You can say “Happy Hanukkah” in Hebrew in a couple of common ways. The two main options differ slightly in emphasis and formality.
Main Hebrew greeting
The most straightforward way is:
חנוכה שמח
Transliterated: Chanukah sameach (or Hanukkah sameach), which
literally means “Happy Hanukkah.”
Slightly fuller phrase
A very common, slightly more formal version is:
חג חנוכה שמח
Transliterated: Chag Chanukah sameach , meaning “Happy Hanukkah holiday.”
Tips on pronunciation
- ח (the first sound in “Chanukah” and “chag”) is a throaty “kh,” not like the English “ch” in “church.”
- “Sameach” is pronounced sah-MAY-akh, with a rough “kh” at the end.
