New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration and joy almost all over the world and more so in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries. People gather with family and friends to welcome the start of the year with lavish meals, cheerful music, and stunning displays of fireworks. If you want to join in the revelry and wish your Spanish-speaking friends a Happy New Year, you’ll need to know how to say it in their language. In this blog post, you’ll discover more about how to say Happy New Year in Spanish and other popular greetings and traditions.
Basic Greetings for the New Year
The most common way to say Happy New Year in Spanish is “Feliz Año Nuevo.” Suppose you don’t want to be too formal with your Spanish-speaking friends. In that case, you can opt for “¡Felices Fiestas!” This phrase means “Happy Holidays” and is commonly used during Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Other variations of this greeting include “¡Felices Fiestas de Navidad!” and “¡Felices Fiestas de Fin de Año!” You can use these greetings interchangeably with other Spanish-speaking people.
Regional Expressions
Just like in English, Spanish has many regional expressions when it comes to greeting someone on New Year’s Day. In Spain, locals say ¡Feliz Año and Prosperidad! which means “Happy New Year and Prosperity!” In Mexico, locals say “¡Feliz año, mucha felicidad y muchos éxitos! (Happy New Year, lots of happiness, and lots of success!) In South American countries like Colombia and Venezuela, locals say “¡Feliz Año Nuevo, mis queridos!” meaning “Happy New Year, my dears!” As you can see, there are many ways of expressing the same sentiment, depending on where you are.
Traditional New Year’s Eve Customs
Aside from greetings, many Spanish-speaking countries have special customs and traditions to welcome the new year. In Spain, locals believed that eating twelve grapes for every toll of the clock at midnight would bring good luck for the twelve months ahead. In Mexico, locals throw everything from old furniture to broken kitchenware out the window into the street, symbolizing out with the old and in with the new. In Puerto Rico, locals clean their houses from top to bottom to ward off bad luck and then throw a bucket of water out the window at midnight to expel any lingering negative energy.
New Year’s Resolutions
In many Spanish-speaking countries, the start of the New Year is a time for personal reflection and improvement. People make resolutions or a promise to do or not do something. Popular resolutions include losing weight, quitting smoking, saving more money, or learning something new. In Spanish, the word for resolution is “la resolución,” this word refers to both New Year’s resolutions and other life goals. If you want to encourage someone to achieve their New Year’s resolution, you can say, “¡Mucho éxito con tus resoluciones este año nuevo!” or “¡Que logres cumplir tus propósitos!”
learning how to say Happy New Year in Spanish is just the start of understanding the many customs and traditions that come with welcoming the start of a new year. Knowing regional expressions would be a perfect addition to your greetings words lists. Enjoying the cultural diversity that language offers will allow you to fully engage and immerse in your Spanish-speaking friends’ traditions. Whether you opt for making resolutions, eating grapes, or breaking plates, the start of a new year is always an exciting and hopeful time. Use any of the expressions outlined in this blog post to wish your friend a Happy New Year and start your traditions, wherever you are!
