fēlīx sit Annus Novus
fēlīx sit Annus Novus is the Latin way to say Happy New Year.
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Latin |
|---|
| fēlīx sit Annus Novus |
| fēlīx sit annus novus |
Depending on how you structure your sentence, the grammatical form of the words will change.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase fēlīx sit Annus Novus literally translates to 'May the New Year be happy'. The word 'sit' is the third-person singular present subjunctive of 'esse' (to be).
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase Novus Annus Beatus Sit Tibi! can be used to mean 'May the New Year be blessed for you!'
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase fēlīx sit Annus Novus, the adjective fēlīx is in the nominative singular masculine form to agree with the subject Annus Novus. However, if you are wishing 'a happy new year' as a direct object (for example, in the phrase 'I wish you a happy new year'), the phrase changes to the accusative case: fēlīcem Annum Novum.
Did you know?
- The word fēlīx in this phrase originally meant 'fruitful' or 'fertile' before it evolved to mean 'happy' or 'lucky'.
- In ancient Rome, the New Year was associated with the god Janus, who gave his name to the month of January. His name is linked to ianua , 'door'.
- Roman New Year traditions often involved strena, which were small gifts or tokens of good luck given to friends and family.
Examples in context
- fēlīx sit Annus Novus tibi.Happy New Year to you.
- fēlīx sit Annus Novus omnibus.Happy New Year to everyone.
- fēlīx sit Annus Novus et tibi.And a Happy New Year to you.
Example conversation
Lucius and Lucia meet on the first day of January.
- LuciusSalve, Lucia! Fēlīx sit Annus Novus.Hello, Lucia! Happy New Year.
- LuciaSalve, Luci! Tibi quoque fēlīx sit Annus Novus.Hello, Lucius! Happy New Year to you too.
- LuciusHabesne bona omnia hoc anno?Do you have all good things this year?
- LuciaSpero me habere!I hope I do!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
