Easter is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world—and it has almost as many names as it does traditions. In Europe alone, the word for “Easter” changes from language to language, sometimes coming from the same root and sometimes taking its own unique path.

In English, the festival is called Easter, from the Old English Ēastre, linked to spring and renewal. In German, Ostern follows a similar Germanic root, while in the Netherlands Dutch speakers celebrate Paas (short for Pasen). In contrast, most Romance languages—French (Pâques), Italian (Pasqua), Spanish (Pascua), and Romanian (Paști)—borrow the term from the Hebrew Pesach (Passover), reflecting the shared biblical roots of the holiday.

Beyond wording, the way people greet each other on Easter also shows how deeply language and culture are connected. Here’s a short, learner‑friendly list of “Happy Easter” in different languages:

• English: Happy Easter!
• German: Frohe Ostern! (PRO‑huh OST‑ern)
• French: Joyeuses Pâques! (zhwah‑YUH‑zeh PAHK)
• Italian: Buona Pasqua! (BWO‑nah PAS‑kwah)
• Spanish: ¡Felices Pascuas! (feh‑LEE‑sehs PAS‑kwahs)
• Romanian: Paște fericit! (PAS‑teh feh‑REE‑cheet)
• Dutch: Vrolijk Pasen! (VROL‑ikh PAA‑sen)
• Polish: Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych! (vay‑SO‑wikh SHVYAN‑tof‑nykh)
• Russian: Счастливой Пасхи! (Schastlivoy Paskhi!, SHA‑stee‑voh‑ee PASK‑hee)
• Greek: Καλή Ανάσταση! (Kali Anástasi!, KAH‑lee ah‑NAH‑stah‑see)

Use these phrases in your next conversation‑exchange session or when sending Easter cards to friends abroad.