καλή χρονιά
kalí chroniá
To say happy new year in Greek, you say καλή χρονιά (kalí chroniá). Wiktionary also lists ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος (eftychisménos o kainoúrios chrónos) and χρόνια πολλά (chrónia pollá).
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| καλή χρονιά | kalí chroniá | |
| ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος | eftychisménos o kainoúrios chrónos | |
| χρόνια πολλά | chrónia pollá | /ˈxɾoɲa poˈla/ |
The phrase χρόνια πολλά is a versatile greeting used for birthdays, name days and New Year, meaning many years [to you].
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase καλή χρονιά literally translates to good year.
Which one should you use?
καλή χρονιά is the most common, natural way to wish someone a Happy New Year in Greek, whereas ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος is a literal translation of the English phrase that sounds much more formal and less idiomatic.
How do you pronounce it?
kalí chroniá
When do people say it?
If someone says καλή χρονιά to you, a common and polite response is to repeat the same phrase back to them: καλή χρονιά.
Did you know?
- In some Greek regions, the New Year is accompanied by the tradition of breaking a pomegranate on the floor to bring luck and abundance for the coming year.
- The phrase χρόνια πολλά is used not only for New Year but also for 'name days', which are often more important celebrations in Greece than birthdays.
- The word καινούριος meaning 'new' evolved from an ancient term for someone who 'produces new things'.
Examples in context
- Ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος!Happy New Year!This example shows how to use the phrase ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος.Tatoeba #4704625 by chrysaarabatzi, translation #361350 by blay_paul
- Καλή χρονιά σε όλους!Kalí hroniá se ólous!Happy New Year to everyone!
- Σου εύχομαι καλή χρονιά, φίλε μου.Sou éfchomai kalí hroniá, fíle mou.I wish you a happy new year, my friend.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet for coffee on the first day of January.
- Ελένη EleniΓεια σου Δημήτρη, καλή χρονιά!Ya sou Dimitri, kalí hroniá!Hello Dimitris, happy new year!
- Δημήτρης DimitrisΓεια σου Ελένη, καλή χρονιά και σε σένα!Ya sou Eléni, kalí hroniá kai se séna!Hello Eleni, happy new year to you too!
- Ελένη EleniΠώς πήγε η γιορτή σου;Pos pige i giorti sou;How was your celebration?
- Δημήτρης DimitrisΠολύ ωραία, ευχαριστώ.Poly oréa, efcharistó.Very nice, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations and entries καλή χρονιά, ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος, χρόνια πολλά, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries καινούριος, ο, χρόνια, χρόνια πολλά, χρόνος, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
