🇯🇵 Japanese phrases

How to Say "Happy New Year" in Japanese

The SPAIKING TeamJuly 27, 2026
明けましておめでとうございます
"Happy New Year" in Japanese · say it like ah-keh-mah-sheh-oh-meh-deh-toh-go-zah-i-mas

The most natural way to say "Happy New Year" in Japanese is 明けましておめでとうございます. Tap the speaker above to hear it, then say it back out loud. That is the fastest way to make it stick.

Other ways to say it

明けましておめでとう
A more casual version used among friends and family.

When to use it

Use this phrase to greet someone at the beginning of the new year. It is common to say this after the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve. You can also use it in the first few days of January when meeting people for the first time in the new year.

Say it out loud, get corrected

Reading it is not the same as saying it. Practice "Happy New Year" and thousands more with an AI coach that listens.

Examples in Japanese

JapaneseEnglish
明けましておめでとうございます。今年もよろしくお願いします。Happy New Year. I look forward to your continued support this year.
Common mistake
Some learners forget to use the polite form when addressing elders or superiors.

The fastest way to remember it

Vocabulary you only read fades fast. Vocabulary you say out loud sticks. Hear 明けましておめでとうございます, repeat it a few times, then use it in a real sentence. SPAIKING lets you practice exactly that, speaking Japanese with a coach that corrects your pronunciation in real time. You can start with two free conversations.

Frequently asked questions

When is it appropriate to say 'Happy New Year'?

It is appropriate to say it during the New Year celebrations and in the first few days of January.

Learn Japanese by speaking it

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