felice anno nuovo
/feˈli.t͡ʃe ˈan.no ˈnwɔ.vo/
In Italian, happy new year is expressed as felice anno nuovo. Wiktionary also lists buon anno.
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| felice anno nuovo | /feˈli.t͡ʃe ˈan.no ˈnwɔ.vo/ |
| buon anno | /ˈbwɔn ˈan.no/ |
Buon anno! is the standard greeting used when people meet or exchange messages during the New Year period.
Which one should you use?
While felice anno nuovo is a literal translation of 'happy new year', buon anno is the much more common and natural way to say 'Happy New Year' in Italian.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using buon anno as part of a sentence like 'I wish you a happy new year', it is preceded by the indefinite article 'un' to become 'un buon anno'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /feˈli.tʃe ˈan.no ˈnwɔ.vo/. It has 7 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In some regions, people throw old plates or pots out the window when the clock strikes midnight to cast away the bad luck of the old year.
- Many Italians believe that wearing red underwear on the night they say buon anno brings good luck for the coming twelve months.
- While buon anno is the greeting, Italians also celebrate Capodanno, a word combining capo meaning 'head' and anno meaning 'year'.
Examples in context
- Ti auguro un buon anno nuovo.I wish you a Happy New Year.This sentence is useful for showing how to use buon anno in a wish.Tatoeba #2461351 by Guybrush88, translation #30091 by Eldad
- Buon Natale e felice Anno Nuovo!Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!This sentence is useful for seeing felice anno nuovo used in a holiday greeting.Tatoeba #5589416 by dnnywld, translation #925023 by zvaigzne
- Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo a tutti.Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to everyone.This sentence is useful for seeing felice anno nuovo used in a holiday greeting to a group.Tatoeba #2848407 by Guybrush88, translation #683475 by Shishir
- Buon Capodanno, Marco!Happy New Year, Marco!
- Cara Maria, ti auguro un Buon Capodanno!Dear Maria, I wish you a Happy New Year!
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Martina meet on the first day of January.
- FrancescoCiao Martina, felice anno nuovo!Hi Martina, happy new year!
- MartinaGrazie Francesco, felice anno nuovo anche a te.Thanks Francesco, happy new year to you too.
- FrancescoHai dei programmi per oggi?Do you have any plans for today?
- MartinaNo, rimango a casa a riposare.No, I am staying at home to rest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations and entries felice anno nuovo, buon anno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
