Cactus Language Blog

How to say ‘Happy New Year’ in 20 languages

Posted by simonager under English, French, German, Italian, Learning a language, Spanish

New Year is celebrated around the world, though not necessarily on the same day everywhere. In some cases, such as in Chinese and Vietnamese communities, there are celebrations for both solar New Year on 1st January according to the Gregorian, and Lunar New Year, the date of which changes every year. In the Eastern Orthodox Church New Year falls on 14th January, which is the 1st January in the Julian calendar, while Tibetan New Year takes place between January and March.

Here’s how to wish someone a happy or prosperous new year in a variety of languages:

Afrikaans: Gelukkige nuwe jaar / Voorspoedige Nuwe jaar

Arabic: (helol alseneh aljedīdah) حلول السنة الجديدة

Bulgarian: Щастлива Нова Година (Štastliva Nova Godina)

Catalan: Feliç Any Nou

Chinese: 新年快樂 [新年快乐] - Gregorian New Year; 恭喜發財 [恭喜发财] – Lunar New Year
Mandarin: xīn nián kuài lè / gōng xǐ fā cái
Cantonese: sàn nìhn faai lohk / gung héi fáat chōi
Hakka: sin ngien kwai lok / giung hi fat coi
Shangainese: sin ni kua loq / kong shi fuh ze

Danish: Godt nytår

Esperanto: Feliĉan novan jaron

French: Bonne Année

German: Ein gutes neues Jahr (A good new year), Ein gutes Neues (A good new)
Ein gesundes neues Jahr (A healthy new year),
Einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr (A good slide into the new year), Guten Rutsch (good slide).

Greek: Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Ετος (Eutukhismeno to Neo Etos) / Καλὴ χρονιά (Kalí hroniá)

Hindi: नये साल की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें (Naye sāl kī hārdik śubhkāmnayeṅ)

Irish: Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit/daoibh (Prosperous New Year)
Bliain úr faoi shéan is faoi mhaise duit/daoibh (Happy New Year to you)
Go mbeire muid beo ar an am seo aris! (May we be alive this time next year!)

Italian: Felice Anno Nuovo
Japanese: 新年おめでとうございます (shinnen omedetō gozaimasu)
明けましておめでとうございます (akemashite omedetō gozaimasu)
旧年中大変お世話になりました (kyūnenjū taihen osewa ni narimashita)
本年もよろしくお願いいたします (honnen mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu)

Malay: Selamat Tahun Baru

Polish: Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku

Portuguese: Feliz Ano Novo / Próspero Ano Novo

Russian: С наступающим Новым Годом (S nastupayuščim Novym Godom)

Spanish: Feliz Año Nuevo / Próspero Año Nuevo

Welsh: Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

About the author
Simon Ager runs a company that provides information and advice about languages mainly via the website www.omniglot.com.

Tags:Arabic, Catalan, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, new year, Spanish, voc