gelukkig Nieuwjaar
[ɣəˈlʏkəx niu̯ˈjaːr]
To say "happy new year" in Dutch, use gelukkig Nieuwjaar.
The phrase gelukkig Nieuwjaar is the standard way to wish someone a happy new year. You can also use Beste wensen, which means "Best wishes", as a greeting. For more heartfelt messages, you might say Ik hoop dat het nieuwe jaar vol vreugde en succes zal zijn (I hope the New Year will be full of joy and success) or Moge het nieuwe jaar al uw dromen waarmaken (May the New Year fulfill all your dreams).
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective gelukkig (happy) and the noun Nieuwjaar (New Year).
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a general greeting or as part of a sentence, nieuwjaar can be written with a lowercase n (nieuwjaar), although capitalizing it as Nieuwjaar is common in holiday greetings.
When do people say it?
If you are making a toast to the New Year, you can say Proost op het nieuwe jaar! (Cheers to the New Year!) or simply Proost! (Cheers!).
Did you know?
- In some Dutch regions, it is traditional to eat oliebollen, deep-fried dough balls, while exchanging gelukkig Nieuwjaar wishes to ensure good luck for the coming year.
- In the Netherlands and Belgium, it is customary to visit friends and family and say gelukkig Nieuwjaar in person during the first few days of January rather than just on New Year's Eve.
- The word geluk inside gelukkig can mean both 'happiness' and 'luck', making the phrase a wish for both emotional well-being and good fortune.
Examples in context
- Ik wens je een gelukkig nieuwjaar.I wish you a Happy New Year.This sentence shows how to wish someone a happy new year using the form gelukkig Nieuwjaar.Tatoeba #7669031 by MarijnKp, translation #30091 by Eldad
- "Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!" – "Voor u hetzelfde!""A Happy New Year!" "I wish you the same!"This shows a typical exchange where one person says gelukkig Nieuwjaar and the other responds.Tatoeba #8774674 by Micsmithel, translation #73628 by CM
- Ik wens jullie allemaal een gelukkig nieuwjaar.I wish you all a Happy New Year.This demonstrates using the phrase to wish a group of people a happy new year.Tatoeba #7669033 by MarijnKp, translation #5716200 by Hybrid
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lisa and Daan meet on January 1st.
- LisaHoi Daan, gelukkig Nieuwjaar!Hi Daan, happy New Year!
- DaanDank je, Lisa! Gelukkig Nieuwjaar voor jou ook.Thank you, Lisa! Happy New Year to you too.
- LisaHeb je een leuke avond gehad?Did you have a nice evening?
- DaanJa, het was echt heel gezellig.Yes, it was really cozy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations and entries gelukkig Nieuwjaar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
