שנה טובה
shanah tovah
shana tova is the Hebrew way to say Happy New Year, used specifically for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
שנה טובה is the standard greeting used during Rosh Hashanah to wish someone a happy and good new year.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun שנה (shanah), meaning 'year' and the adjective טובה (tovah), meaning 'good'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective טובה (tovah) is in the feminine form to agree with the feminine noun שנה (shanah).
How do you pronounce it?
shanah tovah
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with שנה טובה, a common reply is Todah, which means 'thank you'.
Did you know?
- The word שנה for 'year' is a homonym in Hebrew, as it is spelled exactly the same as the word for 'sleep'.
- To emphasize the 'sweet' part of shana tovah u'metuka, it is customary to dip apples in honey while exchanging the greeting.
- The word שנה (shanah) is a direct linguistic relative of the Arabic word 'sana', as both descend from the same ancient Proto-Semitic roots.
Examples in context
- שנה טובה לכולם!shana tova lekulam!Happy New Year to everyone!
- שנה טובה ומבורכת.shana tova u'mevorakhet.A happy and blessed New Year.
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe to celebrate the holiday.
- רוטם Rotemהיי דניאל, שנה טובה!hey Daniel, shana tova!Hi Daniel, happy New Year!
- דניאל Danielשנה טובה לך גם, רוטם.shana tova lakh gam, Rotem.Happy New Year to you too, Rotem.
- רוטם Rotemתודה, מה התוכניות שלך?toda, ma hatokhniyot shelkha?Thanks, what are your plans?
- דניאל Danielארוחת ערב עם המשפחה.erukhat erev im hamishpakha.Dinner with the family.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry שנה טובה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries שנה, שנה טובה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
