Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר | a gut gebentsht yor | /a ˈɡʊt ɡəˈbɛnt͡ʃt jɔr/ (Litvish, YIVO) /a ˈɡɪt ɡəˈbɛnt͡ʃt juːr/ |
| גליקלעכן נייעם יאָר | gliklekhn neyem yor |
While גליקלעכן נייעם יאָר provides a more literal translation of "happy new year", אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר is the more traditional and culturally idiomatic way to offer the greeting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר literally means "a good blessed year".
Which one should you use?
גליקלעכן נייעם יאָר is a literal translation of the English phrase "happy new year", whereas אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר is the culturally idiomatic version used for traditional greetings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word געבענטשט is the adjective form of the verb meaning "to bless".
How do you pronounce it?
a gut gebentsht yor
When do people say it?
When celebrating the Jewish New Year, it is customary to use the traditional greeting אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר. For a more formal tone, one might use Shana Tova! (Good Year) and for an informal setting, one might say A freylekhn nay-yor! (A joyful New Year!).
Did you know?
- In Jewish tradition, these greetings are most commonly exchanged during Rosh Hashanah, which does not align with the January 1 calendar used by English speakers.
- The short greeting Shana Tova is actually Hebrew, but it is used interchangeably with Yiddish phrases in many Jewish communities.
- Using גליקלעכן נייעם יאָר is often seen as an 'Anglicism', as it mirrors the English structure rather than the traditional Yiddish way of wishing for a blessed period.
Examples in context
- אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר!Happy New Year!This sentence shows how to use the greeting אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר.Tatoeba #11140630 by shekitten, translation #361350 by blay_paul
- מיר זאָלן יעדער האָבן אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר.Mir zoln yedər hobn a gut gebentshtt yor.May we each have a happy new year.
Example conversation
Miriam and Berl greet each other during the holiday.
- מרים Miriamבערל, אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר!Berl, a gut gebentsht yor!Berl, happy New Year!
- בערל Berelאַ דאַנק, מרים! אויך דיר אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר.a dank, Miriam! oykh dir a gut gebentsht yor.Thanks, Miriam! Happy New Year to you too.
- מרים Miriamוואָס פֿלאַנערט איר פֿאַר דעם יאָר?vos flanert ir far dem yor?What are you planning for the year?
- בערל Berelמיר וועלן פֿאָרן באַזוכען פֿאַמיליע.mir veln forn bazukhen familye.We are going to visit family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations and entries אַ גוט געבענטשט יאָר, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
