If you are wondering how to say happy new year in Spanish, you are in the right place 🎆. In this post, you will learn simple, real and natural expressions Spaniards actually use to say Happy New Year.
You will find correct phrases, funny options, ready-to-copy wishes, how to say merry Christmas and happy new year in Spanish, and what people usually write on happy new year in Spanish images 📱🥂.
Short, useful and easy to remember. Let’s go 🚀
The most common and safest option is:
🎉 ¡Feliz año nuevo! - 🇬🇧 Happy New Year!
You can use it with: – friends 👯♀️ – family 👨👩👧👦 – colleagues 💼 – neighbours 🏘️ – literally anyone 😄
This is your safest choice. It works in formal and informal situations, spoken or written.
In Spain, people say it right after midnight on 31st December, often while eating the famous 12 grapes 🍇. It is also completely normal to keep saying it during the first days of January, especially the first time you see someone that year.
In Spain, people keep saying it during the first days of January, especially the first time they see someone new that year.
Want something shorter?
🎆 ¡Feliz año! - 🇬🇧 Happy New Year! (short, casual)
Want something warmer?
🥂 ¡Qué tengas un feliz año nuevo! - 🇬🇧 Have a happy new year! / Wishing you a happy new year!
Spaniards love humour, especially at the start of the year 😅. If you want to sound relaxed and natural, try one of these:
😂 ¡Feliz año nuevo y menos dramas! - 🇬🇧 Happy New Year and less drama! / …and fewer dramas!
🍀 ¡Feliz año nuevo, salud y dinero! - 🇬🇧 Happy New Year, health and money! (very Spanish, very practical)
🥳 ¡A ver si este año es mejor que el anterior! - 🇬🇧 Let’s see if this year is better than the last one!
🎉 ¡Feliz año nuevo y que no falte de nada! - 🇬🇧 Happy New Year and may you want for nothing! / …and may you have everything you need!
Tip 💡: These are best for friends and family. For your boss, stick to the classic greeting.
If you want something warmer (without sounding cheesy), these happy new year wishes in Spanish are great for messages, cards, emails and captions 💖.
✨ Que el nuevo año venga lleno de salud y buenos momentos.
🇬🇧 May the new year be full of good health and lovely moments.
🌟 Te deseo un año nuevo lleno de oportunidades.
🇬🇧 I wish you a new year full of opportunities.
💫 Que todos tus sueños se hagan realidad este año.
🇬🇧 May all your dreams come true this year.
❤️ Gracias por estar a mi lado. ¡Feliz año nuevo!
🇬🇧 Thank you for being by my side. Happy New Year!
Want to make it even more Spanish? Add a tiny extra line:
🥂 ¡Salud!
🇬🇧 Cheers!
In December, you often want to combine both greetings. The most classic and correct option is:
🎄 ¡Feliz Navidad y próspero año nuevo!
🇬🇧 Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
This is slightly more formal and very common in emails, cards and business messages.
A more informal option you will hear a lot in Spain is:
🎉 ¡Felices fiestas y feliz año nuevo!
🇬🇧 Happy holidays and happy new year!
Because Felices fiestas covers Christmas, New Year and also the Three Kings celebrations 👑.
On social media and WhatsApp, happy new year in Spanish images usually include short, punchy lines. These are the ones you will see everywhere 📱✨.
🎉 ¡Feliz año nuevo!
🇬🇧 Happy New Year!
🥂 ¡Por un año lleno de buenos momentos!
🇬🇧 Here’s to a year full of great moments!
✨ ¡Qué sea un gran año!
🇬🇧 May it be a great year!
🎆 ¡Empezamos de cero!
🇬🇧 Fresh start! / We’re starting from scratch!
You will often see images with grapes 🍇, fireworks 🎆 or glasses of cava 🥂, all very typical of New Year’s Eve in Spain.
⚠️ Important spelling note: always write Año (with ñ). Writing Ano changes the meaning completely.
A classic mistake is:
❌ Feliz ano nuevo
✅ Feliz año nuevo
🇬🇧 Happy New Year
The letter ñ matters a lot.
Another common mistake is copying English capitalisation. In Spanish, this is more natural:
✅ ¡Feliz año nuevo!
🇬🇧 Happy New Year!
Not:
❌ ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! (it is not ‘wrong’, but it looks more like a design choice than standard writing)
And one more: overthinking it. In Spain, repeating ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! for a few days is completely normal.
If you are a beginner, keep it simple and clear.
🟢 A1–A2
🎉 ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
🇬🇧 Happy New Year!
If you are intermediate, you can add warmth.
🟡 B1–B2
✨ ¡Que tengas un feliz año nuevo!
🇬🇧 Have a happy new year! / Wishing you a happy new year!
If you are advanced, personalise your wish.
🔵 C1–C2
💫 Te deseo un año lleno de salud y buenos proyectos.
🇬🇧 I wish you a year full of health and great projects.
If you want more ready-to-use phrases for real life in Spain, these posts will help you keep practising:
🎂 Happy Birthday in Spanish
https://blog.soyguiri.com/happy-birthday-in-spanish
🙌 No problem in Spanish
https://blog.soyguiri.com/no-problem-in-spanish
👌 What does ‘vale’ mean in Spanish?
https://blog.soyguiri.com/what-does-vale-mean-in-spanish
🍽️ Can I have the bill please in Spanish?
https://blog.soyguiri.com/can-i-have-the-bill-please-in-spanish
Choose the correct option in each case. Only one option is correct.
Now you know how to say happy new year in Spanish in a way that feels correct, natural and fun 🎆.
If you only remember one thing, make it this:
🎉 ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!