selamat Tahun Baru
/səˈlamat ˈtahun ˈbaru/word by word
selamat Tahun Baru is the Indonesian way to say "Happy New Year".
This phrase is used specifically to celebrate the Gregorian New Year.
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of selamat (happy/congratulations), Tahun (year) and Baru (new).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Indonesian, the adjective baru (new) follows the noun tahun (year) to form the phrase Tahun Baru.
How do you pronounce it?
/səˈlamat ˈtahun ˈbaru/
Did you know?
- The word tahun shares a common ancestor with the Māori word tau, which is used to mean 'year' or 'season' in New Zealand.
- While selamat Tahun Baru is used for the Gregorian calendar, Indonesia also observes the Tahun Baru Jawa (Javanese New Year) and the Tahun Baru Hijriah (Islamic New Year).
- Because the word selamat carries the connotation of 'safety', saying selamat Tahun Baru can be felt as a wish for a 'safe new year'.
Examples in context
- Selamat Tahun Baru, semuanya.Happy New Year, everyone.This sentence shows how to address a group with selamat Tahun Baru.Tatoeba #13682450 by dbahasa, translation #13023124 by end
- Selamat tahun baru.Happy New Year!This sentence provides a standard way to say selamat Tahun Baru.Tatoeba #3362873 by dbahasa, translation #361350 by blay_paul
- Selamat Tahun Baru untuk kamu dan keluarga.Happy New Year to you and your family.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are texting each other at midnight.
- PutriSelamat Tahun Baru, Putri!Happy New Year, Putri!
- BudiSelamat Tahun Baru juga, Budi!Happy New Year to you too, Budi!
- PutriSemoga tahun ini menyenangkan.I hope this year is pleasant.
- BudiAmin, terima kasih!Amen, thank you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (selamat, tahun, baru) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries baru, selamat, tahun, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
