Cross Cultural Skills

92 Ways To Say Happy New Year

by on 1 January, 2009

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Cross-Cultural Living

It’s not always easy to know how to extend greetings during the end of year Holiday Season.   Our communication is global and “Merry Christmas” is not appropriate for everyone.  But extending good wishes for the new year is much easier for a global audience.

Here’s a video to help you get the pronunciation right for a few of the languages listed below.

“Happy New Year!” In 92 Different Languages

And here’s a list for you to have fun wishing those around you “Happy New Year!” in the language you need.

  1. Afghan – Saale Nao Mubbarak
  2. Afrikaans - Gelukkige nuwe jaar
  3. Albanian - Gezuar Vitin e Ri
  4. Armenian -  Snorhavor Nor Tari
  5. Arabic - Kul ‘am wa antum bikhair
  6. Assyrian - Sheta Brikhta
  7. Azeri - Yeni Iliniz Mubarek!
  8. Bengali - Shuvo Nabo Barsho
  9. Breton [Celtic Brythonic language] -  Bloavezh Mat
  10. Bulgarian -  ×åñòèòà Íîâà Ãîäèíà, pronounced “Chestita Nova Godina”
  11. Cambodian – Soursdey Chhnam Tmei
  12. Catalan – Bon Any Nou
  13. Chinese - 新年快乐,  Xin Nian Kuai Le
  14. Corsican Language - Pace e Salute
  15. Croatian - Sretna Nova godina!
  16. Czech - Šťastný Nový rok (or Stastny Novy rok)
  17. Danish - Godt Nytår
  18. Dhivehi - Ufaaveri Aa Aharakah Edhen
  19. Dutch - Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
  20. Eskimo - Kiortame pivdluaritlo
  21. Esperanto - Felican Novan Jaron
  22. Estonians -  Head uut aastat!
  23. Ethiopian – Melkam Addis Amet YihuneliwoI!
  24. Finnish - Onnellista Uutta Vuotta
  25. French - Bonne Annee
  26. Gaelic - Bliadhna mhath ur
  27. Galician [NorthWestern Spain] - Bo Nadal e Feliz Aninovo
  28. German - Prosit Neujahr
  29. Georgian - Gilotsavt Akhal Tsels!
  30. Greek Kenourios Chronos
  31. Gujarati - Nutan Varshbhinandan
  32. Hawaiian - Hauoli Makahiki Hou
  33. Hebrew - L’Shannah Tovah
  34. Hindi - Naye Varsha Ki Shubhkamanyen
  35. Hong Kong (Cantonese) – Sun Leen Fai Lok
  36. Hungarian -  Boldog Ooy Ayvet
  37. Indonesian - Selamat Tahun Baru
  38. Iranian - Sal -e- no mobarak
  39. Iraqi - Sanah Jadidah
  40. Irish - Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit
  41. Italian – Felice anno nuovo
  42. Japan – Akimashite Omedetto Gozaimasu
  43. Kabyle - Asegwas Amegaz
  44. Kannada – Hosa Varushadha Shubhashayagalu
  45. Kisii – Somwaka Ompyia Omuya
  46. Khmer – Sua Sdei tfnam tmei
  47. Korea – Saehae Bock Mani ba deu sei yo!
  48. Kurdish – Newroz  Pirozbe
  49. Latvian – Laimīgo Jauno Gadu!
  50. Lithuanian – Laimingu Naujuju Metu
  51. Laotian - Sabai dee pee mai
  52. Macedonian – Srekjna Nova Godina
  53. Madagascar – Tratry ny taona
  54. Malay – Selamat Tahun Baru
  55. Marathi – Nveen Varshachy Shubhechcha
  56. Malayalam - Puthuvatsara Aashamsakal
  57. Mizo - Kum Thar Chibai
  58. Maltese - Is-Sena t- Tajba
  59. Nepal - Nawa Barsha ko Shuvakamana
  60. Norwegian - Godt Nyttår
  61. Papua New Guinea - Nupela yia i go long yu
  62. Pampango (Philippines) – Masaganang Bayung Banua
  63. Pashto – Nawai Kall Mo Mubarak Shah
  64. Persian -  Sal -e- no mobarak
  65. Philippines - Manigong Bagong Taon!
  66. Polish – Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
  67. Portuguese – Feliz Ano Novo
  68. Punjabi – Nave sal di mubarak
  69. Romanian – An Nou Fericit
  70. Russian -  S Novim Godom
  71. Samoa - Manuia le Tausaga Fou
  72. Serbo-Croatian - Sretna nova godina
  73. Sindhi - Nayou Saal Mubbarak Hoje
  74. Singhalese - Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
  75. Siraiki - Nawan Saal Shala Mubarak Theevay
  76. Slovak - Stastny Novy rok
  77. Slovenian - Sreèno novo leto
  78. Somali - Iyo Sanad Cusub Oo Fiican!
  79. Spanish - Feliz Ano ~Nuevo
  80. Swahili - Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
  81. Swedish - Gott nytt år!
  82. Sudanese - Warsa Enggal
  83. Tamil - Eniya Puthandu Nalvazhthukkal
  84. Tibetian - Losar Tashi Delek
  85. Telegu - Noothana samvatsara shubhakankshalu
  86. Thai - Sawadee Pee Mai
  87. Turkish - Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
  88. Ukrainian - Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku
  89. Urdu - Naya Saal Mubbarak Ho
  90. Uzbek - Yangi Yil Bilan
  91. Vietnamese - Chuc Mung Tan Nien
  92. Welsh – Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

And here’s an extra one suggested by one of our readers:

  1. Visaya (Philippines) - Maayong Bag-ong Tuig

And here are another video:

A very Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year to you and your family!

Now it’s your turn…

  • Have you noticed any mistakes here?
  • Are there any other ways to say Happy New Year in these languages?
  • Are there any other languages you would like to add?

Please share them in the comments below!

Tagged as: calendars, cross-cultural, global websites, greeting, greeting cards, happy new year, holiday greetings, international friends, language, languages, merry christmas, new year, new year celebrations, say, ways

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"Cindy is a real authority on all things international marketing.
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-- Chris Garrett, co-author of the "Problogger" book
  • http://www.leadHership.net LeadHership

    I somehow found you on twitter so I thought I’d also visit your site. Your site is awesome!! By its layout, alone, I see so much potential for my own. Happy New Year to you!

    • http://cindyking.biz Cindy

      Thank you for the kind words LeadHership!

      The Thesis theme by Brian Clark is a fantastic blog theme – well worth the investment! I have grown to become a huge Brian Clark fan… simply through his customer support and his sales strategies.

      And I’m influenced very strongly from the colors I grew up with in the Bahamas.

      - bright turquoise waters
      - bright yellow sunshine
      - hot pink colonial houses
      - lots of pristine white sand
      :-)

  • http://www.quickonlinetips.com PChere

    I know I can carry this list around the world next time go on a world tour around new year. Thanks for this.

    • http://cindyking.biz Cindy

      Glad you liked the list – it’s true I used to use a similar list when I traveled frequently this time of year.

      There are also cultural differences in how to wish Happy New Year.

      For example…

      In France, there is a cultural obligation to wish everyone you meet for the first time between January 1 and January 31st a “Bonne Année”. So if you come across someone you usually say hello to, and you have not seen them since the previous year, and even if it is January 31st, that person can be offended if you do not wish them a “Bonne Année”.

      Of course, this also makes me wonder why that person does not say it first if this is such a big deal for them… but that’s another issue.

  • Pingback: How Was Your Week 1 In 2009? : Get International Clients

  • http://www.wchingya.com Ching Ya

    ha..this is nice. Can I add the mandarin character for your:
    no. 13 Chinese – 新年快乐 (in mandarin characters), that shall let your chinese clients feel more like home.

    • http://cindyking.biz Cindy

      Thank you Ching Ya! Very much appreciated. And have corrected the list. All the best, Cindy

  • BeAn{Z}

    Visaya (Philippines) maayong Bag-ong Tuig

    • http://cindyking.biz/ Cindy King

      Thank you BeAn! I’ve added it in.

  • http://twitter.com/RoserRosa Roser Rosa Arnau

    There is a mistake xD in catalan we say: ‘Bon Any Nou’

    ‘Bon’ means ‘Good’ or ‘Great’

    • http://cindyking.biz/ Cindy King

      Thank you Roser! I’ve corrected it. And a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year to you and your family!

  • DoubleA

    Armenian correction:

    it should be Shnorhavor (missing an “h”).

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000099922270 Lafayette Kirsi Noel

    Visaya (Philippines) is MALIPAYONG BAG-ONG TUIG.Maayo(maayong) means Good
    Malipayon(malipayong) means Happy

    in addition you  can have

    Tagalog(Philippines)
    - Maligayang Bagong Taon

  • Keedz

    Western Armenians say: Shnorhavor Nor Dari (the difference is in the annunciation)

  • WolfxFoxie

    In greek we say “eutihismeno to neo etos” or “kali hronia”

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