How to: Say “Happy New Year” in 40 languages
Akranes graveyard, Photo: Atli Harðarson. Feature photo: Eustaquio Santimano
| Language | Spelling | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Afrikaans | Gelukkige Nuwejaar | gha-likkikga-neeva-yaarr (“gh” is a throat scraping guttural sound) |
| Albanian | Gëzuar Vitin e Ri | gu-zoo-ar vi-tin e ri |
| Arabic | سنة سعيدة | sana sa’eedah |
| Azerbaijani | Yeni iliniz mübarək | ye-ni i-li-niz myu-ba-rack |
| Bahasa melayu | Selamat tahun baru | selamat tahun baru |
| Basque | Urte berri on | err-te berr-rri on |
| Bosnian | sretna nova godina | sr-et-na no-va go-din-a |
| Bulgarian | Щастлива Нова година | sh-tast-liva No-va go-din-a |
| Catalan | Feliç any nou | fe-LEES A-nee n-Ou |
| Cebuano (Philippines) | Mabungahong Bag-ong Tuig kaninyong tanan | ma-boon-ga-hong bag-ong too-eeg kan-een-yong tan-an |
| Czech | šťastný nový rok | SHTU-stnee NO-vee rrr-ok |
| Dutch | Fijne oudejaarsavond (Fine New Year’s Eve) / Gelukkig Nieuwjaar (Happy New Year) | fei-nee ow-de-yaarr-sa-vont / ghu-lukkikgh-neew-yaarr |
| Estonian | Head uut aastat | hed oot ah-staht |
Tbilisi, Photo: Vladimer Shioshvili
| Language | Spelling | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Farsi | سال نو مبارک | sale nou mobarak |
| Filipino | Manigong Bagong Taon | mah-nee-gong bag-gong ta-on |
| French | Bonne Année | bon a-nay |
| Gaelic (Scotland) | Bliadhna mhath ur | bleenah vahth oohr |
| German | Frohes Neues Jahr / Gutes Neues Jahr | frohes neuyis yar / gutes neu-yis yar |
| Greek | Καλή χρονιά | kali chronya |
| Gujarati | સાલ મુબારક | saal mubarak (happy year) |
| Hebrew | שָׁנָה טוֹבָה | shana tova |
| Hindi | नये साल की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें | nayye saal ki haardik shubh-kaam-nayen |
| Hungarian | Boldog Új Évet / Buék | bawl-dawg-uuy-aevet / boo-ayk |
| Irish | Athbhliain faoi mhaise dhuit / Bhliain nua sásta | awh-tvleen fwee mm-hay-sheh gutch |
| Italian | Buon anno / Felice anno nuovo | boo-on ah-nno / fae-lee-chae ah-nno noo-o-vo |
| Japanese | あけましておめでとうございます | akemashite omedeto gozaimasu |
| Korean | 새해 복 많이 받으세요 | seh heh bok mahn ee bahd euh sae yo |
Singapore, Photo: Eustaquio Santimano
| Language | Spelling | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Maltese | Is Sena it -Tajba | iz sena it taybah |
| Mandarin Chinese | 新年快乐 | xīn nián kuài lè |
| Maori | Kia hari te tau hou | kia hari tay tau ho |
| Polish | Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku | shch-eng-shlee-vego novego roku |
| Portuguese | Feliz Ano Novo | feh-liz an-oh noh-voh |
| Quechua | Allin wata kachun qanpaq (singular) / Allin wata kachun qanqunapaq (plural) | all-yin wa-ta ka-chun kan-pak / all-yin wa-ta ka-chun kan-koon-a-pak |
| Romanian | La Mulți Ani | laa mooltsi ani |
| Russian | С Новым Годом | s novim godom |
| Spanish | Feliz Año Nuevo | feh-liz an-yoh n-way-vo |
| Thai | สวัสดีปีใหม่ | saa-wat-dii pi-mai |
| Turkish | Mutlu yıllar (happy year) / Yeni yılınız kutlu olsun (May your new year be celebrated) | moot-loo yill-lar / yen-ee yill-uh-niz coot-loo ohl-son |
| Urdu | نايا سال مبارک | nayya saal mubarak |
| Welsh | blwyddyn newydd dda | BLOOdhin NEHwidh dha |
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DO YOU KNOW how to say Happy New Year in any other languages? Share in the comment section below to get us closer to representing the world’s 6,000+ languages!
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Camden Luxford
Camden lives for long, uncomfortable journeys and dreams of the Trans-Siberian Railway. From hitch-hiking in Europe, through Asia by bus and boat, she has found herself in the Peruvian Andes, where she relishes the colors of the festivals, the warmth of the people and the hearty flavors of the soups. When she's not exploring her new home, she's studying politics by distance and writing for her blog, The Brink of Something Else, or as a regular contributor to Matador Abroad.
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