gelukkig Nieuwjaar
[ɣəˈlʏkəx niu̯ˈjaːr]
gelukkig Nieuwjaar is the Dutch way to say Happy New Year.
Other variations exist depending on the sentiment and level of formality: Een voorspoedig nieuw jaar toegewenst! is used to wish someone a prosperous New Year, while Een spetterend nieuw jaar gewenst! is an informal way to wish someone a sparkling New Year.
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word gelukkig literally means 'happy' or 'lucky'.
How does it change in a sentence?
While Nieuwjaar is often capitalized as a proper noun in greetings, it is also grammatically correct to write it in lowercase as gelukkig nieuwjaar when it appears in the middle of a sentence.
When do people say it?
When someone says Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!, common responses include Hetzelfde! (The same!) or Jij ook! (You too!).
Did you know?
- In the Netherlands, it is common to eat 'oliebollen', a traditional deep-fried dough, while exchanging New Year wishes with friends and family.
- In some Dutch traditions, instead of just a verbal greeting, people set off small firecrackers or 'knallers' around midnight to drive away bad luck and welcome the new year.
- The informal greeting Een spetterend nieuw jaar gewenst! uses the word spetterend, which literally means 'splashing' or 'splattering'.
Examples in context
- Ik wens je een gelukkig nieuwjaar.I wish you a Happy New Year.This sentence shows how to use gelukkig Nieuwjaar in a wish to a single person.Tatoeba #7669031 by MarijnKp, translation #30091 by Eldad
- "Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!" – "Voor u hetzelfde!""A Happy New Year!" "I wish you the same!"This demonstrates a greeting and a polite response using gelukkig Nieuwjaar.Tatoeba #8774674 by Micsmithel, translation #73628 by CM
- Ik wens jullie allemaal een gelukkig nieuwjaar.I wish you all a Happy New Year.This illustrates wishing a group of people a happy new year using gelukkig Nieuwjaar.Tatoeba #7669033 by MarijnKp, translation #5716200 by Hybrid
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Levi are greeting each other at a New Year's Eve party.
- EmmaGelukkig Nieuwjaar, Levi!Happy New Year, Levi!
- LeviDank je, Emma! Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!Thank you, Emma! Happy New Year!
- EmmaHeb je een leuke avond?Are you having a nice evening?
- LeviJa, het is heel gezellig hier.Yes, it is very cozy here.
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.
