Written by Camden Luxford
Akranes graveyard, Photo: Atli Harðarson. Feature photo: Eustaquio Santimano
According to Ethnologue, the world currently has 6,909 living languages. Here’s how to wish someone a happy new year in 40 of them.
A-E
| 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 | ??? ????? | sana sa’eedah |
| Azerbaijani | Yeni iliniz mübar?k | 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 | ???????? ???? ?????? | 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 | š?astný 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
F-L
| Language | Spelling | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Farsi | ??? ?? ????? | 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 | ???? ?????? | kali chronya |
| Gujarati | ??? ?????? | saal mubarak (happy year) |
| Hebrew | ?????? ?????? | shana tova |
| Hindi | ??? ??? ?? ??????? ??????????? | 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 | ??????????????? | akemashite omedeto gozaimasu |
| Korean | ?? ? ?? ???? | seh heh bok mahn ee bahd euh sae yo |
Singapore, Photo: Eustaquio Santimano
M-Z
| Language | Spelling | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Maltese | Is Sena it -Tajba | iz sena it taybah |
| Mandarin Chinese | ???? | x?n nián kuài lè |
| Maori | Kia hari te tau hou | kia hari tay tau ho |
| Polish | Szcz??liwego 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 Mul?i Ani | laa mooltsi ani |
| Russian | ? ????? ????? | s novim godom |
| Spanish | Feliz Año Nuevo | feh-liz an-yoh n-way-vo |
| Thai | ???????????? | saa-wat-dii pi-mai |
| Turkish | Mutlu y?llar (happy year) / Yeni y?l?n?z kutlu olsun (May your new year be celebrated) | moot-loo yill-lar / yen-ee yill-uh-niz coot-loo ohl-son |
| Urdu | ???? ??? ????? | nayya saal mubarak |
| Welsh | blwyddyn newydd dda | BLOOdhin NEHwidh dha |
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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!
Bonus: This is how i will celebrate New Years
