You have come to the right place. Learning how to say happy new year in different languages is a simple way to make holiday messages, social posts, cards, and conversations more personal.

From Feliz Año Nuevo in Spanish to 新年快乐 in Mandarin and Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu in Japanese, New Year greetings reveal how different cultures welcome a fresh beginning.

Below are exactly 70 languages, with the native phrase, an easy English pronunciation, a practical example, and the English meaning.

The table includes commonly used New Year greetings. Some expressions literally mean “Happy New Year,” while others naturally convey a wish such as “Good New Year” or “May you have good fortune in the new year.”

Language Native phrase Easy English pronunciation Real-life example sentence English meaning

1 English Happy New Year! HAP-ee noo YEER Happy New Year, everyone! Happy New Year, everyone!
2 Spanish ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! feh-LEES AH-nyoh NWEH-boh ¡Feliz Año Nuevo, María! Happy New Year, María!
3 French Bonne année ! bun ah-NAY Bonne année, mon ami ! Happy New Year, my friend!
4 German Frohes neues Jahr! FROH-es NOY-es yahr Frohes neues Jahr, Anna! Happy New Year, Anna!
5 Italian Buon anno! bwohn AHN-noh Buon anno, Marco! Happy New Year, Marco!
6 Portuguese Feliz Ano Novo! feh-LEEZ AH-noh NOH-voh Feliz Ano Novo, João! Happy New Year, João!
7 Dutch Gelukkig nieuwjaar! guh-LUK-uhkh NEE-oo-yahr Gelukkig nieuwjaar, Lisa! Happy New Year, Lisa!
8 Swedish Gott nytt år! got nit ohr Gott nytt år, Erik! Happy New Year, Erik!
9 Danish Godt nytår! goht NÜT-or Godt nytår, Anna! Happy New Year, Anna!
10 Norwegian Godt nyttår! goht NÜT-or Godt nyttår, Lars! Happy New Year, Lars!
11 Finnish Hyvää uutta vuotta! HOO-vah OO-tah VOO-oh-tah Hyvää uutta vuotta, ystäväni! Happy New Year, my friend!
12 Icelandic Gleðilegt nýtt ár! GLEH-thi-lekht neet ow-r Gleðilegt nýtt ár, Jón! Happy New Year, Jón!
13 Irish Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit! ah-VLEE-in fwee WASH-uh ditch Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit, a chara! Happy New Year, friend!
14 Welsh Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! BLITH-in NEH-with thah Blwyddyn Newydd Dda, Rhys! Happy New Year, Rhys!
15 Scottish Gaelic Bliadhna Mhath Ùr! BLEE-uh-nuh wah oor Bliadhna Mhath Ùr, a charaid! Happy New Year, friend!
16 Polish Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku! shchen-shlee-VEH-goh no-VEH-goh ROH-koo Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku, Ania! Happy New Year, Ania!
17 Czech Šťastný nový rok! SHTYAST-nee NOH-vee rok Šťastný nový rok, Petře! Happy New Year, Peter!
18 Slovak Šťastný nový rok! SHTYAST-nee NOH-vee rok Šťastný nový rok, Jana! Happy New Year, Jana!
19 Slovenian Srečno novo leto! SRECH-noh NOH-voh LEH-toh Srečno novo leto, Ana! Happy New Year, Ana!
20 Croatian Sretna Nova godina! SRET-nah NOH-vah goh-DEE-nah Sretna Nova godina, Ivana! Happy New Year, Ivana!
21 Serbian Срећна Нова година! SRECH-nah NOH-vah goh-DEE-nah Срећна Нова година, Марко! Happy New Year, Marko!
22 Bosnian Sretna Nova godina! SRET-nah NOH-vah goh-DEE-nah Sretna Nova godina, prijatelju! Happy New Year, friend!
23 Macedonian Среќна Нова Година! SREK-nah NOH-vah goh-DEE-nah Среќна Нова Година, Елена! Happy New Year, Elena!
24 Bulgarian Честита Нова година! cheh-STEE-tah NOH-vah goh-DEE-nah Честита Нова година, Мария! Happy New Year, Maria!
25 Romanian La mulți ani! lah MOOLTS ahn La mulți ani, Elena! Happy New Year, Elena!
26 Hungarian Boldog új évet! BOL-dog oo AY-vet Boldog új évet, Péter! Happy New Year, Peter!
27 Greek Καλή χρονιά! kah-LEE khro-NYAH Καλή χρονιά, Μαρία! Happy New Year, Maria!
28 Albanian Gëzuar Vitin e Ri! guh-ZOO-ar VEE-tin eh REE Gëzuar Vitin e Ri, mik! Happy New Year, friend!
29 Lithuanian Laimingų Naujųjų Metų! lie-MEEN-goo now-YOO-yoo MEH-too Laimingų Naujųjų Metų, drauge! Happy New Year, friend!
30 Latvian Laimīgu Jauno gadu! LIE-mee-goo YOW-noh gah-doo Laimīgu Jauno gadu, Anna! Happy New Year, Anna!
31 Estonian Head uut aastat! hed oot AH-stat Head uut aastat, sõber! Happy New Year, friend!
32 Russian С Новым годом! s NOH-vim GOH-dom С Новым годом, друзья! Happy New Year, friends!
33 Ukrainian З Новим роком! z NOH-vim ROH-kom З Новим роком, друзі! Happy New Year, friends!
34 Belarusian З Новым годам! z NOH-vim HOH-dam З Новым годам, сябры! Happy New Year, friends!
35 Georgian გილოცავ ახალ წელს! gee-LOH-tsav ah-KHAL tselts გილოცავ ახალ წელს, მეგობარო! Happy New Year, friend!
36 Armenian Շնորհավոր Նոր տարի! shnor-ha-VOR nor tah-REE Շնորհավոր Նոր տարի, ընկեր! Happy New Year, friend!
37 Turkish Mutlu yıllar! MOOT-loo yuhl-LAHR Mutlu yıllar, Ahmet! Happy New Year, Ahmet!
38 Azerbaijani Yeni iliniz mübarək! YEH-nee ee-lee-neez moo-bah-REK Yeni iliniz mübarək, dostlar! Happy New Year, friends!
39 Persian سال نو مبارک! sah-leh noh moh-BAH-rak سال نو مبارک، دوست من! Happy New Year, my friend!
40 Arabic سنة جديدة سعيدة! SAH-nah jah-DEE-dah sah-EE-dah سنة جديدة سعيدة يا أصدقائي! Happy New Year, my friends!
41 Hebrew שנה טובה! shah-NAH toh-VAH שנה טובה, דני! Happy New Year, Danny!
42 Urdu نیا سال مبارک ہو! nah-YAH saal moo-BAH-rak ho نیا سال مبارک ہو، دوست! Happy New Year, friend!
43 Hindi नव वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ! nav VARSH kee shubh-kah-mah-NAH-en नव वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ, दोस्तों! Happy New Year, friends!
44 Bengali শুভ নববর্ষ! SHOO-bhoh noh-boh-BOR-sho শুভ নববর্ষ, বন্ধুরা! Happy New Year, friends!
45 Punjabi ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ! nah-VAAN saal moo-BAH-rak ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ, ਦੋਸਤੋ! Happy New Year, friends!
46 Gujarati નવા વર્ષની શુભકામનાઓ! nuh-VAH var-SHNEE shubh-kah-mah-NAH-oh નવા વર્ષની શુભકામનાઓ, મિત્રો! Happy New Year, friends!
47 Marathi नवीन वर्षाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा! nuh-VEEN var-SHAH-chya HAR-dik shubh-ETCH-ah नवीन वर्षाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा, मित्रांनो! Heartfelt New Year wishes, friends!
48 Nepali नयाँ वर्षको शुभकामना! nuh-YAHN varsh-KOH shubh-kah-MAH-nah नयाँ वर्षको शुभकामना, साथीहरू! Happy New Year, friends!
49 Sinhala සුභ අලුත් අවුරුද්දක් වේවා! soo-bah ah-LOOTH ah-voo-ROOD-dak WEH-wah සුභ අලුත් අවුරුද්දක් වේවා, යාළුවා! Happy New Year, friend!
50 Tamil புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்! POOT-thaan-doo vaazh-TOO-kal புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள், நண்பர்களே! Happy New Year, friends!
51 Telugu నూతన సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు! NOO-tha-na sum-vat-SAH-ra shoo-bah-KAHN-sha-loo నూతన సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు, మిత్రులారా! Happy New Year, friends!
52 Kannada ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು! HOH-sah var-SHAH-dah shoo-bha-SHAH-yah-gah-loo ಹೊಸ ವರ್ಷದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು, ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರೇ! Happy New Year, friends!
53 Malayalam പുതുവത്സരാശംസകൾ! poo-thoo-vat-sa-RAH-sham-sa-kal പുതുവത്സരാശംസകൾ, സുഹൃത്തുക്കളേ! Happy New Year, friends!
54 Odia ନବବର୍ଷର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା! nah-bah-BOR-shah-rah shoo-BHECH-chha ନବବର୍ଷର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା, ବନ୍ଧୁମାନେ! Happy New Year, friends!
55 Assamese নৱবৰ্ষৰ শুভেচ্ছা! noh-boh-BOR-shor shoo-BHECH-chha নৱবৰ্ষৰ শুভেচ্ছা, বন্ধুসকল! Happy New Year, friends!
56 Mandarin Chinese 新年快乐! sheen nyen KWAI-luh 新年快乐，朋友！ Happy New Year, friend!
57 Japanese あけましておめでとうございます！ ah-keh-mah-shee-teh oh-meh-deh-toh goh-zah-ee-mas あけましておめでとうございます、皆さん！ Happy New Year, everyone!
58 Korean 새해 복 많이 받으세요! seh-heh bok MAH-nee bah-deu-SEH-yo 새해 복 많이 받으세요, 여러분! Happy New Year, everyone!
59 Vietnamese Chúc mừng năm mới! chook moong nahm MOY Chúc mừng năm mới, mọi người! Happy New Year, everyone!
60 Thai สวัสดีปีใหม่! sah-wat-DEE pee-MAI สวัสดีปีใหม่ครับทุกคน! Happy New Year, everyone!
61 Indonesian Selamat Tahun Baru! suh-LAH-maht TAH-hoon bah-ROO Selamat Tahun Baru, teman-teman! Happy New Year, friends!
62 Malay Selamat Tahun Baru! suh-LAH-maht TAH-hoon bah-ROO Selamat Tahun Baru, semua! Happy New Year, everyone!
63 Filipino Maligayang Bagong Taon! mah-lee-guy-YAHNG bah-GONG tah-ON Maligayang Bagong Taon, mga kaibigan! Happy New Year, friends!
64 Mongolian Шинэ жилийн мэнд хүргэе! SHEE-neh ZHEE-lee-n mend KHUR-gay Шинэ жилийн мэнд хүргэе, найзууд! Happy New Year, friends!
65 Swahili Heri ya Mwaka Mpya! HEH-ree yah MWAH-kah M-PYAH Heri ya Mwaka Mpya, marafiki! Happy New Year, friends!
66 Afrikaans Gelukkige Nuwe Jaar! guh-LUK-uh-guh NOO-vuh YAHR Gelukkige Nuwe Jaar, vriende! Happy New Year, friends!
67 Zulu Unyaka Omusha Omuhle! oo-NYAH-kah oh-MOO-shah oh-MOO-hleh Unyaka Omusha Omuhle, mngane! Happy New Year, friend!
68 Xhosa Unyaka Omtsha Omnandi! oo-NYAH-kah OM-tsah om-NAHN-dee Unyaka Omtsha Omnandi, mhlobo! Happy New Year, friend!
69 Amharic መልካም አዲስ ዓመት! mel-KAHM ah-DEES ah-MET መልካም አዲስ ዓመት፣ ጓደኞቼ! Happy New Year, my friends!
70 Malagasy Tratry ny taona vaovao! TRAHT-ree nee tah-OH-nah vah-OH Tratry ny taona vaovao, namako! Happy New Year, my friend!
How to Say Happy New Year in Different Languages

The most familiar New Year greeting is not always a literal translation of the English phrase. Languages often use expressions connected with happiness, good fortune, blessings, prosperity, or a successful new year.

For example, Korean 새해 복 많이 받으세요 expresses the idea of receiving lots of good fortune in the new year. Romanian La mulți ani! is a traditional celebratory greeting that can be used for New Year and other occasions. Japanese あけましておめでとうございます is the standard polite New Year greeting after the new year begins.

This is why context matters when searching for how to say happy new year in different languages. The most natural local greeting may communicate the same sentiment without matching every English word.

Happy New Year in All Languages: What Do These Greetings Mean?

New Year greetings generally express one or more of four ideas:

Happiness in the coming year
Good fortune and prosperity
A successful or peaceful new year
Warm wishes for the person and their family

In Mandarin Chinese, 新年快乐 literally conveys happiness for the new year. In many European languages, the greeting directly refers to a happy, good, or fortunate new year.

These differences make happy new year translations especially interesting. The meaning is universal, but each language gives the sentiment its own cultural character.

Happy New Year Around the World

New Year is not celebrated in exactly the same way everywhere, and January 1 is not the only New Year date observed around the world.

Many communities also celebrate lunar, solar, religious, or traditional new years at different times. For example, Lunar New Year is especially important across many East and Southeast Asian communities, while other cultures follow their own traditional calendars.

That means a New Year greeting should ideally match the celebration being observed. A thoughtful greeting is not just about translating words; it is also about understanding when and how the greeting is used.

Popular Happy New Year Greetings for Messages

If you are writing a New Year text, card, email, or social media post, short greetings are usually the most effective.

Here are a few examples:

Spanish: ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

French: Bonne année !

Italian: Buon anno!

German: Frohes neues Jahr!

Mandarin: 新年快乐!

Japanese: あけましておめでとうございます！

Korean: 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

Arabic: سنة جديدة سعيدة!

Urdu: نیا سال مبارک ہو!

Swahili: Heri ya Mwaka Mpya!

A short native-language greeting followed by a personal message can make a New Year wish feel much more genuine.

Formal and Casual New Year Greetings

The appropriate greeting can depend on your relationship with the person.

With close friends and family, shorter and more familiar expressions are often perfectly natural. In professional situations, a polite standard greeting is usually the safest choice.

Japanese provides a clear example. あけましておめでとうございます is a polite expression suitable for many formal and everyday situations. Korean also uses polite forms extensively, with 새해 복 많이 받으세요 being a standard respectful New Year greeting.

When you are unsure, choose the commonly accepted polite form rather than using slang or an unfamiliar casual expression.

How to Pronounce Happy New Year in Different Languages

Pronunciation guides in the table are intentionally simple. They are designed to help English speakers approximate the sound rather than provide technical phonetic transcription.

For better pronunciation:

Break the phrase into short parts.
Say each part slowly.
Pay attention to stressed syllables.
Repeat the complete phrase several times.
Listen to native speakers when possible.
Avoid forcing an English accent onto unfamiliar sounds.

You do not need perfect pronunciation to show respect. Making a sincere effort is often more important than sounding completely native.

Happy New Year Greetings for Friends and Family

For personal messages, choose a phrase that feels warm and natural.

For example:

Spanish: ¡Feliz Año Nuevo, amigos!

French: Bonne année, mes amis !

Hindi: नव वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ, दोस्तों!

Punjabi: ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ, ਦੋਸਤੋ!

Vietnamese: Chúc mừng năm mới, mọi người!

Swahili: Heri ya Mwaka Mpya, marafiki!

Adding words such as “friends,” “family,” or a person’s name can make a basic greeting feel more personal.

Happy New Year Greetings for Work and Business

For professional messages, keep the greeting respectful and positive. A short New Year wish can work well in emails, customer messages, business cards, and workplace announcements.

A simple structure is:

New Year greeting + recipient’s name + short positive wish

For example:

“Frohes neues Jahr, Anna! Ich wünsche dir viel Erfolg im neuen Jahr.”

This approach is more personal than simply copying a translation and sending it without context.

Why Learn Happy New Year in Different Languages?

Learning New Year greetings can be useful for travelers, language students, international businesses, teachers, content creators, and anyone with friends or family from different cultures.

It also provides an easy introduction to a new language. A seasonal phrase is short, memorable, and immediately useful.

More importantly, using someone’s language during a celebration can show appreciation for their culture and create a stronger personal connection.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do you say Happy New Year in different languages?

You can say Feliz Año Nuevo in Spanish, Bonne année in French, Frohes neues Jahr in German, Buon anno in Italian, 新年快乐 in Mandarin, あけましておめでとうございます in Japanese, and 새해 복 많이 받으세요 in Korean. The table above provides 70 languages with pronunciation and examples.

2. What is the most common way to say Happy New Year?

There is no single worldwide version because every language has its own greeting. Some of the most widely recognized expressions include Spanish Feliz Año Nuevo, French Bonne année, Italian Buon anno, German Frohes neues Jahr, and Mandarin 新年快乐.

3. How do you say Happy New Year in Asian languages?

Examples include 新年快乐 in Mandarin, あけましておめでとうございます in Japanese, 새해 복 많이 받으세요 in Korean, Chúc mừng năm mới in Vietnamese, สวัสดีปีใหม่ in Thai, Selamat Tahun Baru in Indonesian and Malay, and नव वर्ष की शुभकामनाएँ in Hindi.

4. How do you say Happy New Year in European languages?

Popular European translations include Feliz Año Nuevo in Spanish, Bonne année in French, Frohes neues Jahr in German, Buon anno in Italian, Feliz Ano Novo in Portuguese, Gelukkig nieuwjaar in Dutch, Gott nytt år in Swedish, and С Новым годом in Russian.

5. Is Happy New Year the same in every language?

No. Some languages translate the idea directly, while others use expressions referring to good fortune, blessings, happiness, or a good year.

The intended message is similar, but the natural wording and cultural meaning can differ.

Conclusion

Learning happy new year in different languages is a simple way to make celebrations more inclusive and memorable.

From Europe and Asia to Africa and the Middle East, people express hopes for happiness, good fortune, and a successful year in many different ways.

Whether you are preparing a multilingual greeting card, sending a message to an international friend, or simply exploring happy new year around the world, learning a few authentic phrases can make your wishes feel more personal.

Choose your favorite greeting, practice the pronunciation, and share it with someone who will appreciate hearing a New Year wish in their own language.

---