Nochevieja
/not͡ʃeˈbjexa/Spain, feminine
New Year's Eve in Spanish is Nochevieja. Wiktionary also lists víspera de año nuevo.
Meaning: holiday on the last day of the year (name)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nochevieja | /not͡ʃeˈbjexa/ | Spain, feminine |
| víspera de año nuevo | /bispeɾa de aɲo nwebo/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
Both Nochevieja and víspera de año nuevo refer to the holiday on the last day of the year.
What does it mean word for word?
Nochevieja is a compound of noche (night) and vieja (old), literally meaning 'old night'.
Which one should you use?
Nochevieja is the most common term used in Spain. víspera de año nuevo is a more descriptive phrase meaning 'the eve of the new year' and is used widely across Latin America.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Nochevieja is particularly common in Spain. The phrase víspera de año nuevo is used across Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
Nochevieja is a feminine noun and is typically preceded by the definite article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/notʃeˈbjexa/
When do people say it?
In Spain, a common tradition on Nochevieja is eating las doce uvas (twelve grapes) at the stroke of midnight.
Did you know?
- In some Latin American traditions, people run around the block with a suitcase on víspera de año nuevo to ensure they will travel in the coming year.
- In many parts of Latin America, people celebrate víspera de año nuevo by wearing specific colors of underwear to attract luck or love for the coming year.
- The word víspera comes from the Latin 'vespera' and shares its roots with the word 'vespers' used in Christian evening prayer services.
Examples in context
- Ya estamos en Nochevieja.It's New Year's Eve.This sentence shows how to express that it is currently New Year's Eve using Nochevieja.Tatoeba #5722651 by arh, translation #12245251 by Miktsoanit
- Nochevieja precede a Año Nuevo.New Year's Eve precedes the New Year.This sentence shows that Nochevieja precedes the New Year.Tatoeba #7583611 by arh, translation #11067521 by Luornu
- A Nochevieja le sigue Año Nuevo.New Year's Eve is followed by New Year's Day.This sentence shows that Nochevieja is followed by New Year's Day.Tatoeba #7583620 by arh, translation #12245257 by Miktsoanit
- ¡Estoy emocionado por la Nochevieja! Voy a celebrar con amigos en la playa.I'm excited for New Year's Eve! I'm going to celebrate with friends at the beach.
- Reservé una mesa en un restaurante elegante para la Víspera de Año Nuevo.I booked a table at a fancy restaurant for New Year's Eve.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are discussing their plans for the end of the year.
- Lucía¿Qué vas a hacer en Nochevieja?What are you going to do on New Year's Eve?
- DanielVoy a cenar con mi familia.I am going to have dinner with my family.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! Yo también celebraré en Nochevieja con los míos.How nice! I will also celebrate on New Year's Eve with mine.
- DanielEspero que lo paséis muy bien.I hope you all have a great time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “new year's eve” translations and entries Nochevieja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Nochevieja, año, de, nuevo, víspera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
