Selamat Tahun Baru
To say "happy new year" in Malay, use Selamat Tahun Baru. Wiktionary also lists Selamat Tahun Baharu.
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Malay |
|---|
| Selamat Tahun Baru |
| Selamat Tahun Baharu |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Selamat (safe/blessed/happy), Tahun (year) and Baru (new).
Which one should you use?
Selamat Tahun Baharu uses Baharu, which is the more formal or standard version of Baru used in official contexts or formal writing in Malaysia.
Did you know?
- The word selamat is a versatile 'Swiss Army knife' of Malay greetings, used for everything from 'congratulations' and 'welcome' to 'good morning'.
- The word tahun is part of a vast linguistic family that reaches all the way to the Pacific, sharing a common ancestor with the Māori word 'tau'.
Examples in context
- Selamat tahun baru!Happy New Year!This sentence is useful for expressing the greeting Selamat Tahun Baru.Tatoeba #694569 by sestersparrow, translation #361350 by blay_paul
- Selamat Tahun Baru, Puan Farah.Happy New Year, Mrs. Farah.
- Terima kasih, Selamat Tahun Baru juga kepada Puan Farah dan keluarga.Thank you, and Happy New Year to you and your family as well.
- Selamat Tahun Baru, bro!Happy New Year, bro!
- Selamat Tahun Baru, semoga segala harapanmu tercapai!Happy New Year, may all your wishes come true!
- Terima kasih, harapanku juga begitu. Semoga kita semua bahagia di tahun baru ini.Thank you, that's my hope too. May we all find happiness in this new year.
- Selamat Tahun Baru kepada semua!Happy New Year to everyone!
- Saya ingin mengucapkan Selamat Tahun Baru.I want to wish you a Happy New Year.
Example conversation
Muhammad and Farah meet at a party on January 1st.
- MuhammadSelamat Tahun Baru, Farah!Happy New Year, Farah!
- FarahSelamat Tahun Baru juga, Muhammad.Happy New Year to you too, Muhammad.
- MuhammadAdakah awak ada rancangan hari ini?Do you have any plans today?
- FarahSaya hanya mahu berehat di rumah.I just want to rest at home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries baharu, baru, selamat, tahun, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
