"navidad" versus "natividad" for Christmas, or for just birth

Question

"Feliz Navidad" as a Christmas greeting (why the m. adj. and the f. noun?)

vs.

"Natividad" as a name on a Catholic hospital

??

Thank you,

Judy

Answer 1

I don't know why you say that feliz is a masculine adjective. It is used with both masculine and feminine nouns. (and felicidad is feminine)

Neither do I understand your question concerning navidad and natividad. Navidad is used exclusively for Christmas (Jesus' birth), but nativity can have a broader meaning of birth and not just of Jesus. It would be the same as comparing Christmas to nativity in English. There is some overlap, but nativity refers to birth in general. (e.g. native)

Would you rather we use the other term : ¡felices Pascuas! (another feminine noun) that can be used for more than Christmas.

pascuas

Answer 2

Hi, Judy welcome to SpanishDict.

These two words are synonyms. You can find them in our dictionary: natividad and navidad.

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