Saying ‘Happy New Year’ in Japanese

Greeting a Happy New Year in Japanese can be said in different ways. New Year in Japanese is お正月 (おしょうがつ) or 新年 (しんねん). New Year’s Day is called 元旦 (がんたん).

Now let’s start with the different ways of saying ‘Happy New Year’.

If you want to greet someone before the end of the year or December 31^st, the Japanese phrases to be used are:

1. 良いお年を (よいおとしを)

- The casual way of saying ‘Happy New Year’ before the end of the year until December 31^st. This informal phrase is used for close friends, co-workers who are younger than you, or younger family members.

- Romaji: Yoi otoshi wo

2. 良いお年をお迎えください (よいおとしをおむかえください)

- The formal way of saying ‘Happy New Year’. This polite phrase can be used in greeting someone older than you, your boss or co-workers, or people you barely know. Use this phrase before the end of the year or until December 31^st.

- Romaji: Yoi otoshi wo omukae kudasai

The Japanese phrases to be used at the start of the year or January 1^st are:

3. 明けましておめでとう (あけましておめでとう)

- This phrase is the casual way of saying ‘Happy New Year’ once the new year starts. It is used for less formal settings like greeting your close family members, close friends, or people you have a close bond with.

- Romaji: Akemashite omedetou

4. 明けましておめでとうございます (あけましておめでとうございます)

- The polite way of saying ‘Happy New Year’ at the start of the year. You can use this phrase to greet your bosses, co-workers, acquaintances, older people, etc.

- Romaji: Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu

5. 新年おめでとうございます (しんねんおめでとうございます)

- It also means ‘Happy New Year’.

- Romaji: Shinnen omedetou gozaimasu

6. あけおめ

- The less casual way of saying ‘Happy New Year’. It is the abbreviation of 明けましておめでとう. Only use this phrase with your close friends or people younger than you.

- Romaji: Akeome

Other than the phrases above, you can also use or add these phrases after ‘Happy New Year’:

7. 今年もお世話になりました (ことしもおせわになりました)

- This phrase means ‘I am grateful for your help (or support) this year’. Since 今年 is used and it is in its past tense form なりました, this phrase can be used until December 31st.

- Romaji: Kotoshi mo osewa ni narimashita

8. 今年もよろしくお願いします (ことしもよろしくおねがいします)

- This phrase means ‘I look forward to working with you again this year’ or ‘Please treat me well this year also’. This phrase is best used in business settings or your superiors or co-workers. It is an important phrase that conveys gratitude in thanking the people you spend your time with and expresses your hope to be working with them again.

- Romaji: Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu

9. ことよろ

- This is the abbreviation of 今年もよろしくお願いします and can only be used in greeting friends.

- Romaji: Kotoyoro

10. 来年もどうぞよろしくお願いします (らいねんもどうぞよろしくおねがいします)

- This means ‘I’m looking forward to working with you next year’. This phrase can added after saying 今年もお世話になりました.

- Romaji: Rainen mo douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu

11. また来年 (またらいねん)

- Casual way of saying ‘See you next year’.

- Romaji: Mata rainen

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That’s all for today’s blog. Happy New Year everyone. I look forward to learning with everyone again next year.

See you soon!

This is Ringo and this will be my last post for this year.

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