How to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese and other heartfelt wishes

Knowing a few local phrases when traveling to a different country really enhances the experience. If you are planning to visit Vietnam at the start of the year, learning how to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese can add to your interactions with the locals and give you a lot of memorable stories to tell.

The Vietnamese New Year is a culturally significant event that many travelers look forward to experiencing. To join in with the festive atmosphere in Vietnam during this time, you should equip yourself with how to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese. Find all the ways you can wish someone a Happy New Year and immerse yourself in the local culture.

1. Tradition of exchanging New Year wishes in Vietnam

The Vietnamese Lunar New Year, also known as “Tết Nguyên Đán”, is the most culturally significant event of the country. Greetings and well wishes are considered an important part of the celebration. The custom of saying Happy New Year in Vietnamese is practiced because Vietnamese people believe that the start of the year is the most important time of the year, when everyone hopes for a bright future filled with health, joy, and prosperity. Thus, it has become customary for people to visit their loved ones during the first three days of the Lunar New Year to exchange greetings and well wishes.

According to Vietnamese beliefs, the mornings of these first three days are full of joy and hope. Besides giving children iconic red envelopes, wishing each other a Happy New Year is a custom practiced by everyone, young and old alike. Saying Happy New Year in Vietnamese language is a way to wish others good luck, prosperity, and happiness. New Year’s greetings are a beautiful cultural feature that is still preserved and promoted in today’s busy life. If you have the chance to visit Vietnam during this time of year, learning how to say Happy Lunar New Year in Vietnamese is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture of Vietnam.

2. How to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese?

Like every other language, there are many variations to the way you can say Happy New Year. The two ways you can wish others a Happy Lunar New Year in Vietnamese language are as follows:

The most common is Chúc mừng năm mới. Chúc mừng means “congratulate” and năm mới means “new year”. It is customary for people to say this immediately after the midnight fireworks or when visiting each other’s homes after the New Year’s Eve. This versatile greeting can be used to say to family members, relatives, friends, co-workers, and bosses.
Another common phrase that you can come across is Năm mới vui vẻ. As mentioned above, năm mới means “new year”, while vui vẻ means “happy”.

3. Different ways to wish someone a happy new year in Vietnamese

Although greetings and well wishes in the New Year are a small gesture, this act is considered an essential part of the occasion. Aside from the above-mentioned Happy New Year greetings in Vietnamese, there are many more phrases which the local people use to greet others on this occasion. They will wish each other good health, prosperity, success, and good luck for the upcoming year.

3.1. How to wish someone good health in Vietnamese?

Sức khoẻ dồi dào: We wish you good health.
Sống lâu trăm tuổi: We wish you longevity. (this is one of the popular Vietnamese New Year wishes for elders)
Trẻ mãi không già: We hope that you stay forever young. (this is another common wish for elderly people)
Hay ăn chóng lớn: Eat more and grow quickly. (this is a popular wish for children)
Sức khỏe vô biên: We wish you boundless health.

3.2. Vietnamese New Year wishes for prosperity

An khang thịnh vượng: We wish you prosperity.
Phát tài phát lộc: We wish you wealth.
Tiền vào như nước: We hope that money flows to you like water.
Cung hỉ phát tài: May you have a prosperous New Year.
Làm ăn phát tài: May your business prosper.

3.3. Vietnamese New Year wishes for career success or promotion

Công thành danh toại: We wish you success in your career.
Thăng quan tiến chức: We wish you career promotion.
Làm ăn tấn tới: We hope that your business will be successful.
Năm mới, thắng lợi mới: New year, new success.
Công việc thăng tiến: We wish you work promotion

3.4. Vietnamese New Year wishes for good luck

Thuận buồm xuôi gió: We hope that all your endeavors will go smoothly.
Vạn sự như ý: May all your wishes come true.
Hạnh phúc sức khỏe: We wish you happiness and health.
Năm mới cát tường: We wish you a lucky New Year.
Như ý cát tường: May all your wishes come true.

3.5. General Vietnamese New Year wishes

As the new year approaches, general greetings that express goodwill are also used alongside the above-mentioned specific well wishes. Here are some general greetings for you to use during your Vietnam travel:

Bình an tấn lộc: We wish you peace and prosperity.
Tân xuân vui vẻ: Have a joyful new year.
Cung chúc Tân Xuân: Best wishes for the new year.
Năm mới vui vẻ: Happy New Year.
Tân niên đại cát: We wish you a New Year with lots of luck.

From north to south, every region of Vietnam has distinct customs to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Consider adding Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Hoi An, and Ha Long to your travel list and appreciate the cultural beauty of the Vietnamese New Year.