How To Say Happy New Year in More Than 30 Languages

The countdown is on! Get ready to pop the champagne 🍾 and light the fireworks 🎆🧨 as we welcome another year with full hearts 💖 and high hopes! Your New Year’s celebration is guaranteed to be filled with lots of dance 🕺, music🎶, laughter 😂, and food 🧁, but before you enjoy the festivities, don’t forget to show your appreciation and love for the people close to you through Happy New Year greetings!

As you ring into the New Year with your sparkly dress✨, sparkly drink 🥂, and sparkly eyes 🤩, send your Happy New Year greetings to your loved ones wherever they may be in the world! It doesn’t matter if your best friend lives in South Korea, or your grandpa 👴 has retired in Sweden, or your colleague is in Brazil for the holidays - we’ll teach you how to say Happy New Year in different languages through the article we have below!

New Year Greetings Across Cultures and Languages

Did you know that New Year 🎆 is the most universal holiday across the globe? Everyone celebrates 🎊 the beginning of a new year, although at different times or dates. Different countries 🌏 have different customs in celebrating 🥳 the new year, but there’s one thing we sure share in our celebrations - our wishes 🙏 for a happy and prosperous 🎉 new year for our loved ones!

With today’s globalization, it’s no surprise that most of us have family or friends from different parts of the world. What better way to show your love 🥰 and wish them a bountiful New Year than by greeting 👋 them Happy New Year in their native language?

Photo by Jamie Fenn

How To Say Happy New Year in 35 Languages

We’ve compiled the most popular Happy New Year greetings in 35 languages just for you! 👍 Feel free to use them when greeting your loved ones from across the globe!

If you want to send greetings together with the new year wish, take a look at how to write creative greetings on our blog!

How Do You Say Happy New Year in Chinese?

Mandarin Chinese is the largest language in the world 🌏 in terms of native speakers, so you would be hard-pressed not to find someone who knows Chinese! If you want to greet your Chinese friend a Happy New Year, you can say "新年快乐" (Xīn nián kuài lè).

Because China follows the lunar calendar, Chinese New Year 🧧 is often not celebrated on January 1st. There’s no fixed date for the Lunar New Year as it varies depending on the phases of the moon, but it will be celebrated on January 29th, 2025 next year. Regardless if it’s the Gregorian New Year or the Lunar New Year, it’s common to use “Xīn nián kuài lè” when wishing your family 👨‍👩‍👧 and friends 👫 a Happy New Year!

Remember that in Chinese, tone is important as some words may have different meanings depending on the tone! If you’re unsure how to pronounce the phrase correctly, feel free to listen 👂 to videos 📽️ to familiarize yourself!

How Do You Say Happy New Year in Spanish?

Spanish is another widely used language with phrases that are relatively easy to pronounce. Impress your abuelo with a Happy New Year in Spanish by saying “¡Feliz Año Nuevo!” 🎉 It’s pronounced exactly as how it’s written, with the “ñ” pronounced as “ni” such as in onion. 🧅

Happy New Year in French

Are you spending New Year’s Eve in the country of love? 💕 Greet your newfound French friends a Happy New Year by saying “Bonne année!” pronounced like “buhn ani”. 🥂🎊

Like everywhere else in the world, the French love opening the new year with feasts, music🎺🪗🥁, and firecrackers🧨, so be prepared to dance 💃 the night away with lots of lights, food, and wine! 🍷 With their traditional Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre literally translating to “large meal”, you’ll surely have the time of your life celebrating New Year in France!

Happy New Year in German

New Year’s Eve means stuffing your face with Berliner Pfannkuchen (a kind of German donut) oozing with fruit jam, jumping off chairs 🪑 to ring into the new year, and melting lead to see what your future holds - at least for Germans! It sure is fun 😁 to learn the customs of celebrating 🥳 New Year in Germany, but even if you can’t partake in them, you can still feel the German traditions by knowing “Happy New Year” in German!

Germans greet each other by saying “Frohes Neues Jahr!”, with “Frohes” pronounced with the “h” silent, “Neues” as “Noy-as”, and “Jahr” as “Yaa”.

Photo by Myriam Zilles

How Do You Say Happy New Year in Hebrew?

In Judaism, New Year (known as Rosh Hashanah) is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first humans. It’s celebrated following the Hebrew calendar📆, with the exact New Year’s date varying per year. If you know someone who celebrates 🎊 the Jewish New Year, feel free to greet them with “שנה טובה” or “Shana tova!”

Just as how different cultures have different New Year’s traditions, the Jewish New Year is unique in that Jews make sure to sound a hollowed-out ram's horn called shofar to “raise a noise” 📣 for the New Year as written in the Torah.

How Do You Say Happy New Year in Japanese?

Did you know that it’s a New Year’s tradition in Japan to send postcards 🎴 🌇 to your family, friends, and colleagues to greet them with a Happy New Year? These colorful postcards, known as nengajo, contain New Year greetings, updates of the past year, and resolutions 📋 for the new year, and are important in nurturing connections in Japanese Culture.

If you want to send a nengajo to your Japanese friends and colleagues, don’t forget to include the Japanese greeting 👋 for Happy New Year: "新年おめでとうございます" pronounced as “Shinnen omedetou gozaimasu”! Don’t have the means to send physical postcards? Virtual gifts 💝 by Gifft.me would be more than appreciated by your Japanese friends!

Read too: The Guide to Write the Perfect Merry Christmas Wishes for Family

Happy New Year in Vietnamese

Is your friend planning to enjoy Xôi Gấc (red sticky rice) and Bahn Chung (sticky rice filled with mung bean) in Vietnam for the New Year? 🤔 Vietnam’s New Year celebration🥳, also known as Têt, is the most important festival in the country. The Vietnamese celebrate Têt for 12 days, with each day having a religious ritual aimed at washing away the previous year’s bad luck and welcoming the new year positively. 😉

If you want to try something new and greet your friend who’s on vacation 🧳😎 in Vietnam a Happy New Year, send them the Vietnamese greeting "Chúc Mừng Năm Mới" (pronounced as how it’s written)!

How Do You Say Happy New Year in Italian?

Who doesn’t want to spend New Year’s Eve eating Veneziana (sweet Italian pastry) as you watch the fireworks 🎆 from a hotel terrace 🏨 in Riva dei Sette Martiri? We may not be basking under the Italian stars 🌟 this New Year’s Eve, but that doesn’t mean we can’t embody the Italian traditions from our homes! 🏡

Start with greeting your family 👨‍👧‍👦 and friends Happy New Year in Italian - "Buon Anno!" Then, prepare some lentils with cotechino (pork sausage), and enjoy the rest of the night with some good ol’ Italian wine! 🍷🥂

Photo by Bram Naus

Happy New Year in Hawaiian

For our Hawaiian friends, the spirit of Aloha is of utmost importance, especially in all celebrations and festivities! Aloha refers to the sharing of warmth 🤗 and love 🫶 without expecting anything in return, and it is always reflected in Hawaiian customs, including their celebration of New Year!

The most common way of celebrating New Year in Hawaii is through luaus which are celebrations filled with music🎵, dancing 🕺🏾, and food, emphasizing welcoming the New Year together with the community. Want to spread the spirit of Aloha? Try greeting your family and friends with “Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!” which is the Hawaiian greeting for Happy New Year!

How Do You Say Happy New Year in Korean?

Koreans have various deeply rooted customs unique to them, and those include New Year traditions that both the old and the young observe. From wearing the traditional hanbok, to honoring their deceased ⚰️ ancestors by offering 🫴🤲them a feast and performing the seh bae (kneeling and bowing), to eating traditional New Year’s food such as tteokguk (rice cake soup), jeon (fritter), and japchae (potato starch noodles)🍜, Koreans make sure to observe their customs to honor both the living and the dead before welcoming the new year.

If you know someone with Korean roots, it’s a great idea to greet them using the traditional Korean Happy New Year greeting “새해 복 많이 받으세요” (Saehae bok mani badeuseyo) to express your wishes of a prosperous new year! 🎊

Happy New Year in Greek

Planning for a Greek-themed New Year’s Eve party this year?🤔 Aside from the usual fireworks🎆, music🎵, and games🎮🃏, don’t forget to serve the traditional vasilopita, a Christmas cake where you insert a coin randomly, and whoever gets the slice with the coin 🪙 is believed to have the best luck for the new year!

Polish your Greek New Year greetings by practicing saying "Καλή Χρονιά" (Kali Chronia), the Happy New Year greeting in Greek!

How to say Happy New Year in Portuguese?

Portuguese is very much related to Spanish, so it’s no wonder their New Year’s greetings are almost identical! If you have family and friends from Portugal or Brazil, greet them a Happy New Year by saying "Feliz Ano Novo"! 😁

While you’re at it, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with their New Year traditions! Did you know that instead of the usual sparkly ✨ outfits💃, the Portuguese usually wear white as they ring into the New Year to seek purification and peace?

For Brazilians, spending New Year’s Eve in Copacabana Beach 🌊 🌴 is a must-try as it displays the grandest fireworks! Having your Revéillon, the traditional Brazilian long dinner party from December 31st to January 1st, in Copacabana sure is exciting!

How to say Happy New Year in Farsi?

Iran is another country that celebrates New Year on a different date. Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, is a 13-day festival marking the beginning of spring 🍃 and the start of the new year based on the Iranian calendar. 🗓️

Iranians usually greet each other with "سال نو مبارک" (Sal-e-Nou Mobarak), the Farsi equivalent to “Happy New Year”!

How to say Happy New Year in Polish?

New Year’s Eve in Poland, known as Sylwester is no different from that of the rest of the world - it’s a night full of food 🍲, laughter😂, dancing🕺🏻🪩, carols🪇, and fireworks🎇! It’s common to prepare 12 dishes, usually with goose and carp as the main dishes.

It’s also customary to pay all debts, confess feelings, and burn 🔥 unpleasant memories as a sign of closing the past year and welcoming the new one. Lastly, the Polish greet each other a Happy New Year with "Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku"!

Photo by Sincerely Media

How to say Happy New Year in Russian?

Do you have Russian roots and want to celebrate New Year in a more traditional way? Start with greeting your loved ones a Happy New Year in Russian: "С Новым Годом" (S Novym Godom)! Then, don’t forget to serve Selyodka pod shuboy or dressed herring, together with the traditional Olivier salad! 🥗

Aside from the food, pay attention to traditions such as writing as many wishes as you can on paper 📝 and burning it as the clock strikes 12 🕛, and watching the president’s show 15 minutes before the Kremlin Clock chimes for midnight!

Happy New Year in Arabic

As in most Asian cultures, family is central to Arabic celebrations, including New Year’s celebrations. As such, New Year’s Eve is often a time to gather with family 👨‍👦👩‍👧 and friends over festive meals and tons of stories.

Most Arabs ring into the New Year with reflections from the past year and prayers 🙏 for the new year. Of course, festivals and fireworks 🎆 displays are common, with Dubai having one of the biggest fireworks displays over the Burj Kalifa!

Lastly, New Year wouldn’t be complete without greeting each other with a Happy New Year in Arabic: "سنة جديدة سعيدة" (Sana Jadida Saeida)!

How to say Happy New Year in Filipino?

New Year is one of the most celebrated and prepared for holidays in the Philippines, probably coming in second to Christmas! As this is a time of gathering with loved ones, Filipinos prepare trays of scrumptious food - from crispy lechon (roast whole pig) 🐷 to pancit (stir-fried noodles)🍜, from kakanin (glutinous rice cake) to fruit salad - to feast on and tell stories over!

At the center of every media noche, or New Year’s Eve feast, is a basket of 12 different round fruits🧺, signifying good luck for the next 12 months.

While wearing their polka dot outfits, you’ll hear Filipinos wishing each other a “Manigong Bagong Taon” which translates to “Prosperous New Year”.

Happy New Year in Gaelic

While the main language in Scotland is now English, the Scottish government is prioritizing promoting Gaelic education in the region as well. Help your Scottish friends learn Gaelic more easily by greeting them in Gaelic!

Take the coming holidays as opportunities to greet your Scottish friends in Gaelic! This coming New Year’s Day, use "Bliadhna Mhath Ùr" to wish them a Happy New Year! 🙋🏼

Happy New Year in Irish

Banging bread on the walls to ward off bad luck, placing sprigs of mistletoe under your bed to hopefully meet the love of your life 💑 in the next year, and leaving the doors 🚪open to welcome the ghosts of deceased loved ones - these are just few Irish New Year traditions that have stood the test of time!

As you celebrate New Year the Irish way, don’t forget to wish your loved ones a “New Year under prosperity” or “Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise Duit” in Irish!

Photo by engin akyurt

Happy New Year in Thai

Wish your Thai friends a Happy New Year by saying "สวัสดีปีใหม่" (Sawasdee Pee Mai)!

Fun fact: Thais celebrate New Year both on January 1st and on April 13th which is known as Songkran or “Thai Water Festival”! Songkran is the Thai New Year celebrating rebirth and purification, and it’s customary for Thais to pour water on images of Buddha and visit temples during this time.

Happy New Year in Romanian

Romania has one of the most unique and exciting New Year customs! Dancing 💃🏾 in animal masks such as deer🦌, bears🐻, and she-goats is common as a way to connect to their ancestors and traditions. The Romanian New Year folk custom Plugusorul which simulates ploughing and an oration aims to summon the fertility of the earth for the coming year.

If you have Romanian blood, it’s a good idea to try celebrating New Year the traditional way! As you serve sarmale (cabbage rolls) and cozonac (sweetened yeast bread), don’t forget to wish your family a Happy New Year by saying "Un An Nou Fericit"!

Take a look at Gifft.me's Good Day Wish Generator: Create Instant, Custom Messages with our AI

Happy New Year in Amharic

Ethiopian New Year, known as Enkutatash, is celebrated on the first day of the Ethiopian calendar or on September 11th every year. It is often marked by the blooming of the golden Meskel flowers in Ethiopian highlands and processions to distribute colorful flowers 💮💐 in the streets.

New Year’s Eve meals commonly dominate homes, with warm servings of injera (sourdough flatbread) 🫓 and doro wat (spicy chicken stew). 🍲 Of course, sharing well wishes through New Year greeting cards is a must! Take note - the Happy New Year greeting in Amharic is "መልካም አዲስ አመት" (Melkam Addise Amet)!

How to say Happy New Year in Créole?

Haitian Créole is the language spoken in Haiti. It is largely based on French, so it’s no surprise that their Happy New Year greeting is similar - "Bòn Ane."

Due to the French colonization, Haitian New Year celebrations feature a mix of African and European traditions. It’s normal for Haitians to eat 12 grapes 🍇🍇 as they ring into the new year to bring good luck - a tradition called uvas de la suerte in Spanish. They also eat squash-based soups on January 1st as a celebration of their independence from French rule.

How to say Happy New Year in Dutch?

If you know someone from the Netherlands, greet them a Happy New Year with this Dutch Happy New Year wish: "Gelukkig Nieuwjaar"! They’ll be happy to hear from you as they munch on oliebollen (a kind of Dutch donut) 🍩 and watch fireworks! 🎆

Here’s a tip: ask them what they did on January 1st and you might find yourself hearing about their New Year’s dive - a Dutch tradition where they dive into the cold sea 🌊🥶 early in the morning of January 1st to start the new year afresh!

Photo by Deepak Gupta

Happy New Year in Finnish

For your Finnish colleagues, wish them a Happy New Year by saying "Hyvää Uutta Vuotta"!

Did you know that similar to the Germans, the Finnish like to see what lies ahead for them through melting tin horseshoes? In the past, they used coffee cups 🥤☕ to hide different objects from where they would draw three to predict the beginning, middle, and end of their new year.

How to say Happy New Year in Hindi?

Want to be closer to your Indian roots? Celebrate New Year the Indian way by gathering with your family and friends over a feast of lentils, cornbread, chaat (savory snacks), biryani🍛, samosas, and grapes! 🍇 Don’t forget the ugadi pachadi, a special dish of flowers, fruits🍍🍑🍌, and spices to signify the welcoming of the different flavors of the coming year!

Remember to greet your loved ones with "नया साल मुबारक हो" (Naya Saal Mubarak Ho), which is “Happy New Year” in Hindi!

How to say Happy New Year in Hmong?

Hmong are the indigenous people from East and Southeast Asia, mainly residing in Southwest China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. Hmong New Year celebration usually marks the end of the harvest season and includes feasts to honor the ancestral spirits (Noj Tsiab), dressing in traditional clothing, gathering with loved ones over purple sticky rice, boiled chicken🐔, and a lot more!

The New Year greeting in Hmong is "Nyob Zoo Xyoo Tshiab" meaning “Happy New Year”.

How to say Happy New Year in Hungarian?

Hungarian New Year celebrations, like for most cultures, are largely based on superstitions. Noisemaking through fireworks🎆, banging on pots and pans🥘, and blowing horns 📯 are common to ward off evil spirits. Of course, a New Year’s Eve feast is a must, with roast pork and kocsonya (pork aspic) taking center stage for good luck, as well as lentils and beans.

Hungarians greet each other a Happy New Year with "Boldog Új Évet" which can be abbreviated for SMS or DMs as “B.ú.é.k.!”

Happy New Year in Latin

For your Latin-speaking friends, greet them this coming new year with “Felix Annus Novus!”

Have you ever wondered why the new year is on January 1st? It was actually chosen to honor Janus, the Roman god of beginnings. Celebrating the coming of the new year with parties 🎉🪩 and exchanging gifts 🎁 are common Roman traditions still observed today.

How to say Happy New Year in Norwegian?

A typical Norwegian New Year celebration includes dressing up in your best clothes🤵‍♂️👚, lighting or watching fireworks 🎇 displays, attending church⛪, and having a dinner feast 🍴 with your family and friends. In some places, children also dress up in wacky costumes and sing carols door-to-door in exchange for candies.

As they devour reindeer, turkey🍗, potatoes, and pana cotta, Norwegians greet each other with a "Godt Nyttår" for “Happy New Year”

Photo by Nagatoshi Shimamura

How to say Happy New Year in Serbian?

Serbians celebrate two new years - the Gregorian on January 1st and the Serbian Orthodox on January 14th. The Serbian Orthodox New Year is the old New Year based on the Julian calendar and has been observed for more than 2,000 years already.

Whether it’s the 1st or the 14th, you’re sure to hear Serbians greet each other with "Срећна Нова Година" (Srećna Nova Godina) for “Happy New Year”! 🎊

Happy New Year in Swahili

Swahili is used in many East African countries, so if you know anyone who resides in these countries, greet them a Happy New Year with "Heri ya Mwaka Mpya!"

In Africa, carnivals 🎡 🎪 are common during New Year celebrations, and are commonly filled with fireworks, music🎸, and dance! 🕺🏻 Elders also perform the liberation ceremony where they pour water or alcohol to the ground to honor deities.

Happy New Year in Swedish

Did you take a trip to Sweden last year and want to remember the vacation by celebrating New Year the Swedish way? While fireworks, parties🪩🥳, and toasts 🍻 are also common for Swedish celebrations, what sets them apart is that Swedes usually read excerpts of poems as part of their New Year celebration, often reading from Lord Tennyson's Ring Out Wild Bells.

Of course, don’t forget to greet each other with "Gott Nytt År", the Swedish for “Happy New Year!”

How to say Happy New Year in Turkish?

The Turkish New Year celebrations have unique traditions that are interesting to learn. From wearing red 🔴 to eating pomegranate seeds for good luck, from watching fireworks from home to waiting for displays in public parks⛲, from sprinkling salt 🧂 on the doorstep to running the tap - there’s a lot to be amazed about as you celebrate the New Year the Turkish way!

“Happy New Year” in Turkish is “Yeni Yılınız Kutlu Olsun”, but it’s common to also use the greeting "Mutlu Yıllar" which can be used for New Year, birthdays🎂, and anniversaries.

How to say Happy New Year in Yiddish?

For Jews, New Year is celebrated as Rosh Hashanah and occurs in late summer 🏖️ or early autumn. 🍂 Rosh Hashanah is a time of prayer 🤲 and reflection, as well as a time to gather with family and friends over traditional food such as apples🍎, honey🍯, and challah (braided bread).

Every New Year’s morning, as Jews greet each other with “A Gut Yohr”, they also blow the shofar, a musical instrument usually made of a ram’s horn, as a call for repentance for the past year’s wrongdoings.

Photo by Daria Gordova

Read our guide on when to send virtual gifts and be prepared for all the special occasions throughout the year!

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Ciao Francesco! 🎉 Buon Anno! Desidero prendermi un momento per dirti quanto sia importante la nostra amicizia per me. Ogni momento passato insieme è un regalo, e sono grata per tutte le risate e i ricordi che abbiamo condiviso. 🌟 Ti auguro un nuovo anno pieno di gioia, prosperità e nuove avventure. Che questo 2024 ti porti tutto ciò che desideri e tanto amore! 🍾🎊 Con affetto, Mary

あけましておめでとうございます、キム！🎉 新しい年が始まりましたね。あなたが日本で過ごしている1年、心から誇りにいます。💖 今年もあなたが素晴らしい経験をし、たくさんの幸せと成功に恵まれることを願っています！🌟 私はあなたのことをとても恋しく思っていますが、あなたの笑顔を想いながら新年を迎えました。この特別な年が、あなたにとって素晴らしいものになりますように！✨ を込めて、ケイト

Cher Jean-Pierre, En cette nouvelle année, je tiens à vous souhaiter une merveilleuse année 2024 ! 🎉 Que cette année soit remplie de succès, de joie et de prospérité. Notre partenariat solide me donne d'optimisme pour les mois à venir, et j'ai hâte de continuer à collaborer avec vous. 🤝 Ensemble, je suis convaincu que nous réaliserons de grandes choses et surmonterons tous les défis. À votre santé et à notre réussite commune ! 🥂 Bien amicalement, Larry

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Final Thoughts

Regardless of where you live and what traditions you observe, New Year is a time best enjoyed 😁 with family 👨‍👩‍👧 and friends. 👯‍♀️ Share the well wishes of the New Year to your loved ones wherever they may be in the world 🌎 with the Happy New Year 🎉 greetings in different languages that we’ve compiled for you above!

Sending 📲 your Happy New Year 🥂wishes is not only a lot easier but also a lot more fun with Gifft.me’s virtual gifts! 💝 Surprise 😯 your family, friends, and colleagues with a Happy New Year virtual gift 🎀 containing your personalized greeting, and ring into the New Year with love🫰, hope🕊️, and joy ☺️ even if you’re miles apart!