How to Say Happy New Year in Italian?

An interactive lesson guiding you from key takeaways to expert insights. Comes with Q&A, useful vocabulary, interactive audio, quizzes and games.

Hai già comprato il tuo spumante per Capodanno?
Hai già comprato il tuo spumante per Capodanno?
Hai già comprato il tuo spumante per Capodanno?
Published Nov 12, 2021
Updated Oct 17, 2024
Reviewed by
Italian language tutor, course author. MEng, MBA. Member of the International Association of Hyperpolyglots (HYPIA). After learning 12 languages, I can tell you that we all master languages by listening and mimicking. I couldn’t find an app to recommend to my students, so I made my own one. With my method, you’ll be speaking Italian from Lesson 1.
Written by
No data was found

Key Takeaways

  • The most common way to say "happy new year" in Italian is buon anno, meaning "good year".
  • A more formal greeting is felice anno nuovo, which translates directly to "happy new year".
  • Another popular expression is buon capodanno, specifically referring to New Year's Day.
  • Common New Year's wishes include tanti auguri per un anno pieno di gioia e successo, wishing joy and success for the year.
  • Other phrases like buon anno e buona salute express wishes for happiness and good health in the new year.

Stefano's Insights

Play to see captions...
Ah, il Capodanno in Italia, una tradizione che ha subito una trasformazione negli anni! Un tempo passato in famiglia, ora è diventato un evento sociale pianificato mesi prima. E chi non ama la pressione sociale? Beh, si trova a rispondere alla fatidica domanda: 'Cosa fai per Capodanno?'. Tra cenoni, concerti e botti di Capodanno, la notte di San Silvestro è un mix di tradizione e modernità. Ricordo quando, da bambino, giocavo a tombola con i nonni mentre aspettavamo la mezzanotte. Oggi, molti preferiscono festeggiare con gli amici, magari in un BnB in campagna. E tu, cosa farai a Capodanno?
Ah, New Year's Eve in Italy, a tradition that's evolved over the years! Once a family affair, it's now a social event planned months in advance. Those who dislike social pressure dread the question: 'What are you doing for New Year's?' With big dinners, concerts, and fireworks, Saint Sylvester's Night is a blend of tradition and modernity. I remember playing bingo with my grandparents as a child, waiting for midnight. Nowadays, many prefer celebrating with friends, perhaps in a countryside BnB. And you, what will you do for New Year's?

Quick facts

Why is New Year's Eve stressful for some Italians?

The social pressure from mid-August to plan for Capodanno can be overwhelming, especially for those who prefer a more relaxed approach to holidays.

How do Italians traditionally wish someone a Happy New Year?

Italians typically say "buon anno nuovo" or simply "buon anno," often shouted at midnight while toasting with spumante.

What does "la Notte di San Silvestro" refer to?

"La Notte di San Silvestro" is the traditional name for New Year's Eve, named after Pope Sylvester I who died on December 31st, AD 335.

How has the celebration of New Year's Eve in Italy changed over time?

Previously a family-focused event, New Year's Eve has become a major social affair, often involving elaborate plans and celebrations with friends.

What is a "Cenone di Capodanno"?

The "Cenone di Capodanno" is a big New Year's Eve dinner featuring dishes like lentils and cotechino, believed to bring financial luck.

How do Italians celebrate New Year's Eve nowadays?

Italians either attend public concerts, have private parties, or gather in restaurants for special meals, with many starting plans as early as summer.

What is the significance of red underwear on New Year's Eve?

Wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve is a superstition in Italy, believed to bring good luck for the coming year.

Why are "botti di Capodanno" controversial?

"Botti di Capodanno," or New Year's fireworks, can cause injuries and stress for animals, leading some cities to ban them.

What is the difference between "Capodanno" and "Vigilia di Capodanno"?

"Capodanno" refers to New Year's Day, while "Vigilia di Capodanno" specifically means New Year's Eve; however, many use "Capodanno" to refer to both.

What is the "Concerto di Capodanno"?

The "Concerto di Capodanno" is a New Year's concert, notably held at Venice's La Fenice Theatre and broadcast nationwide, featuring famous Italian artists.

Audio images

🔊
"Dove passerai il Capodanno, a casa o fuori?"
🔊
Buon anno a tutti, ci vediamo nel 2023!
🔊
Hai già comprato il tuo spumante per Capodanno?
Learn on the go
Install the FREE Think In Italian app for faster loading, offline mode, and quick access anytime.
No registration needed. Works on all devices. Ready in 1 click and 3 seconds.
INSTALL APP NOW

Main Article

How to Say Happy New Year in Italian

The most common way to wish someone “happy new year” in Italian is buon annowhich directly translates to “good year”. However, there are a few variations and phrases that Italians like using to celebrate the occasion.

Felice anno nuovo is another way to say “happy new year” and it’s slightly more formal. It is the literal translation of “happy new year”.

Ti auguro un felice anno nuovo!

I wish you a happy new year!

Buon capodanno is another very common expression. In Italian, capodanno is the new year’s day, buon capodanno specifically refers to the holiday.

Learn Italian on the go
Learn in the car with Think in Italian

Linguistically speaking, capodanno is composed of the words capo (lit. head) used to mean the beginning of something, and d’anno (of the year), where the preposition di uses the apostrophe in front of a word beginning with a vowel.

Buon capodanno! Come lo festeggerai?

Happy New Year! How will you celebrate it?

Phrases to use During New Year’s Celebrations

If you are Italian, I am sure that, at least once, you helped your grandparents with writing messages to greet friends, relatives,  and colleagues.

how to learn languages fast ebook
Free Guide
How to Learn Languages Fast
FREE DOWNLOAD

This was a very common activity for me during my childhood, because my grandfather does not know hot to use a cellphone, yet he wanted to wish buon anno to his contacts.

Of course there are some fixed formulas, as the ones that I will be showing you below:

Tanti auguri per un anno pieno di gioia e successo!

Best wishes for a year full of joy and success!

Che sia un anno fortunato!

May it be a lucky year!

Buon anno e tanta felicità!

Happy New Year and lots of happiness!

Buon anno e buona salute!

Happy New Year and good health!

Key Terms and Concepts

Buon anno

The most common phrase to wish someone 'happy new year' in Italian, translating directly to 'good year.'

Felice anno nuovo

A slightly more formal way to say 'happy new year,' meaning 'happy new year' in Italian.

Buon capodanno

A common expression referring specifically to New Year's Day, translating to 'happy new year's day.'

Capodanno

The Italian word for New Year's Day, combining capo (head) and d'anno (of the year).

Capo

Italian for 'head,' used metaphorically to mean the beginning of something, as in capodanno.

Di

An Italian preposition meaning 'of,' often combined with other words using an apostrophe when preceding a vowel, as in d'anno.

Test your knowledge in 10 quick questions

Words

CapodannoNew Year's Day
auguriwishes
festeggiareto celebrate
fuochi d'artificiofireworks
brindisitoast
tradizionetradition
cenonebig dinner
nottenight
annoyear
nuovonew

Phrases

buon annohappy new year
buon anno nuovohappy new year
Le auguro un buon anno nuovoI wish you a happy new year
la Vigilia di CapodannoNew Year's Eve
la Notte di San SilvestroNew Year's Eve
CapodannoNew Year's Day
Cenone di Capodannobig New Year's dinner
botti di CapodannoNew Year's fireworks
auguribest wishes
festeggiareto celebrate

Sentences

Ti auguro un felice e prospero anno nuovo!

I wish you a happy and prosperous new year!

Che il nuovo anno ti porti gioia e successo.

May the new year bring you joy and success.

Spero che il tuo Capodanno sia stato indimenticabile.

I hope your New Year's Eve was unforgettable.

Quali sono i tuoi propositi per il nuovo anno?

What are your resolutions for the new year?

Non vedo l'ora di festeggiare il Capodanno con voi!

I can't wait to celebrate New Year's with you!

Match the Phrases

Memory game

Flip the cards to find matching pairs!

Crossword

Across
Down
Answers

FAQs

How to say New Year in Italian?

To say "New Year" in Italian, you would say "Capodanno."

How to Say Happy New Year in Italian?

To say "Happy New Year" in Italian, you would say "Buon anno!"

think in italian reddit
Questions?

The comments section has moved to the Think In Italian Reddit community. Join today!

Italian word of the day
consegnare
Non potremo consegnare in tempo.
We will not be able to deliver it in time.
See more examples

What's new

stefano lodola italian teacher (1)
30 Free Courses to Get You Started ($40 Value)
  • No credit card needed
italian audio lesson preview
italian audio reading preview
italian ai tutor preview
GET FREE APP
"I've tried other apps like Babbel and Memrise. None made me fluent or made me feel like I was making much meaningful progress in learning a language."
testimonial 2
Ecem Topcu
Aug 7, 2025