Cross-Cultural Living
When I first started the Get International Clients newsletter last year, I reviewed one of the top 20 global websites in 2008 each week. This was fascinating for several reasons:
- It was interesting to see how some companies used templates, and also included some culture-customization tools. In my opinion, this is something to watch closely.
- The number of languages offered is staggering. A choice of 20 languages is now very common. Global businesses are investing in translations on a massive scale.
I have since changed this newsletter in response to requests from readers. It is now a weekly Action Guide delivered sequentially. This makes it a useful tool for people serious about developing their international business.
But you can look at these first Get International Clients newsletters here. And when John Yunker comes out with this year’s list of global websites, I’ll review them on this blog.
Now despite a few posts in French, my websites are only in one language, but here are…
92 Ways To Say Happy New Year
I found this list of how to say Happy New Year in different languages.
…Now, I must admit, there are a few languages here that I have never heard of:
- Azeri
- Kannada
- Kisii
- Telegu
I was going to delete them and cover up my ignorance… but decided to leave them here to remind myself to look them up and at least pinpoint them on a map later this week.
- Afghan – Saale Nao Mubbarak
- Afrikaans - Gelukkige nuwe jaar
- Albanian - Gezuar Vitin e Ri
- Armenian - Snorhavor Nor Tari
- Arabic - Kul ‘am wa antum bikhair
- Assyrian - Sheta Brikhta
- Azeri - Yeni Iliniz Mubarek!
- Bengali - Shuvo Nabo Barsho
- Breton [Celtic Brythonic language] - Bloavezh Mat
- Bulgarian - ×åñòèòà Íîâà Ãîäèíà, pronounced “Chestita Nova Godina”
- Cambodian – Soursdey Chhnam Tmei
- Catalan – Feliç Any Nou
- Chinese - 新年快乐, Xin Nian Kuai Le
- Corsican Language - Pace e Salute
- Croatian - Sretna Nova godina!
- Czech - Šťastný Nový rok (or Stastny Novy rok)
- Danish - Godt Nytår
- Dhivehi - Ufaaveri Aa Aharakah Edhen
- Dutch - Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
- Eskimo - Kiortame pivdluaritlo
- Esperanto - Felican Novan Jaron
- Estonians - Head uut aastat!
- Ethiopian – Melkam Addis Amet YihuneliwoI!
- Finnish - Onnellista Uutta Vuotta
- French - Bonne Annee
- Gaelic - Bliadhna mhath ur
- Galician [NorthWestern Spain] - Bo Nadal e Feliz Aninovo
- German - Prosit Neujahr
- Georgian - Gilotsavt Akhal Tsels!
- Greek Kenourios Chronos
- Gujarati - Nutan Varshbhinandan
- Hawaiian - Hauoli Makahiki Hou
- Hebrew - L’Shannah Tovah
- Hindi - Naye Varsha Ki Shubhkamanyen
- Hong Kong (Cantonese) – Sun Leen Fai Lok
- Hungarian - Boldog Ooy Ayvet
- Indonesian - Selamat Tahun Baru
- Iranian - Sal -e- no mobarak
- Iraqi - Sanah Jadidah
- Irish - Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit
- Italian – Felice anno nuovo
- Japan – Akimashite Omedetto Gozaimasu
- Kabyle - Asegwas Amegaz
- Kannada – Hosa Varushadha Shubhashayagalu
- Kisii – Somwaka Ompyia Omuya
- Khmer – Sua Sdei tfnam tmei
- Korea – Saehae Bock Mani ba deu sei yo!
- Kurdish – Newroz Pirozbe
- Latvian – Laimīgo Jauno Gadu!
- Lithuanian – Laimingu Naujuju Metu
- Laotian - Sabai dee pee mai
- Macedonian – Srekjna Nova Godina
- Madagascar – Tratry ny taona
- Malay – Selamat Tahun Baru
- Marathi – Nveen Varshachy Shubhechcha
- Malayalam - Puthuvatsara Aashamsakal
- Mizo - Kum Thar Chibai
- Maltese - Is-Sena t- Tajba
- Nepal - Nawa Barsha ko Shuvakamana
- Norwegian - Godt Nyttår
- Papua New Guinea - Nupela yia i go long yu
- Pampango (Philippines) – Masaganang Bayung Banua
- Pashto – Nawai Kall Mo Mubarak Shah
- Persian - Sal -e- no mobarak
- Philippines Manigong Bagong Taon!
- Polish – Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
- Portuguese – Feliz Ano Novo
- Punjabi – Nave sal di mubarak
- Romanian – An Nou Fericit
- Russian - S Novim Godom
- Samoa - Manuia le Tausaga Fou
- Serbo-Croatian - Sretna nova godina
- Sindhi - Nayou Saal Mubbarak Hoje
- Singhalese - Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
- Siraiki - Nawan Saal Shala Mubarak Theevay
- Slovak - Stastny Novy rok
- Slovenian - Sreèno novo leto
- Somali - Iyo Sanad Cusub Oo Fiican!
- Spanish - Feliz Ano ~Nuevo
- Swahili - Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
- Swedish - Gott nytt år!
- Sudanese - Warsa Enggal
- Tamil - Eniya Puthandu Nalvazhthukkal
- Tibetian - Losar Tashi Delek
- Telegu - Noothana samvatsara shubhakankshalu
- Thai - Sawadee Pee Mai
- Turkish - Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
- Ukrainian - Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku
- Urdu - Naya Saal Mubbarak Ho
- Uzbek - Yangi Yil Bilan
- Vietnamese - Chuc Mung Tan Nien
- Welsh – Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!
And a very Happy New Year to all of your and your family!
Now it’s your turn…
Are there any other langauges you would like to add?
Tweet me “Happy New Year” in your language!
Brush up your international skills…
Read more on Cross-Cultural Living:
- 92 Ways To Say Happy New Year
- Can Flat Stanley Spend A Day With You?
- Card Giving In Different Cultures
- Cultural Differences Even In Washing Dishes
- Cultural IQ
- Differences In Copywriting Job Titles In French
- Different Names In The World
- Don’t Confuse Sales Method With Your Product Or Service
- Example Of Cultural Differences In Italian Politics
- Foreign Film Festival
- It’s All About The Offer – Let’s Refuel America!
- Living In A Multicultural America
- Motivation To Travel?
- The Cross-Cultural Classroom
- Twestival 2009 Across The Globe
Use these skills in your international tactics on the…
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
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!
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
I know I can carry this list around the world next time go on a world tour around new year. Thanks for this.
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.
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.
Thank you Ching Ya! Very much appreciated. And have corrected the list. All the best, Cindy