🎆 New Year's Day
In this lesson you will learn useful everyday English vocabulary and expressions for talking about New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, midnight, fireworks, toasts, and New Year's resolutions. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.
🟢 Basic New Year Vocabulary
the night of December 31
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Nochevieja🇫🇷 French: Réveillon du Nouvel An
🇩🇪 German: Silvester
🇮🇹 Italian: Vigilia di Capodanno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Véspera de Ano Novo
January 1, the first day of the year
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Año Nuevo🇫🇷 French: Jour de l'An
🇩🇪 German: Neujahr
🇮🇹 Italian: Capodanno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ano Novo
twelve o'clock at night
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Medianoche🇫🇷 French: Minuit
🇩🇪 German: Mitternacht
🇮🇹 Italian: Mezzanotte
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Meia-noite
bright lights and sounds in the sky
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Fuegos artificiales🇫🇷 French: Feux d'artifice
🇩🇪 German: Feuerwerk
🇮🇹 Italian: Fuochi d'artificio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fogos de artifício
raising glasses to wish someone well
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🇪🇸 Spanish: Brindis🇫🇷 French: Toast
🇩🇪 German: Trinkspruch
🇮🇹 Italian: Brindisi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Brinde
a promise to change something in the new year
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Propósito de Año Nuevo🇫🇷 French: Résolution du Nouvel An
🇩🇪 German: Neujahrsvorsatz
🇮🇹 Italian: Proposito per il nuovo anno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Resolução de Ano Novo
🟡 New Year's Celebration Vocabulary
a gathering to have fun together
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🇪🇸 Spanish: Fiesta🇫🇷 French: Fête
🇩🇪 German: Party / Feier
🇮🇹 Italian: Festa
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Festa
a sparkling drink often used for a toast
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Champán🇫🇷 French: Champagne
🇩🇪 German: Champagner
🇮🇹 Italian: Champagne
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Champanhe
small pieces of paper thrown at a celebration
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🇪🇸 Spanish: Confeti🇫🇷 French: Confettis
🇩🇪 German: Konfetti
🇮🇹 Italian: Coriandoli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Confete
counting the last seconds before midnight
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Cuenta regresiva🇫🇷 French: Compte à rebours
🇩🇪 German: Countdown
🇮🇹 Italian: Conto alla rovescia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Contagem regressiva
the people you often celebrate with
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Familia y amigos🇫🇷 French: Famille et amis
🇩🇪 German: Familie und Freunde
🇮🇹 Italian: Famiglia e amici
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Família e amigos
a special time to mark a happy occasion
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebración🇫🇷 French: Célébration
🇩🇪 German: Feier
🇮🇹 Italian: Celebrazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebração
▶️ New Year Actions
to mark a special day with joy
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebrar🇫🇷 French: Célébrer
🇩🇪 German: Feiern
🇮🇹 Italian: Festeggiare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebrar
to say the last numbers before midnight
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Hacer la cuenta regresiva🇫🇷 French: Faire le compte à rebours
🇩🇪 German: Den Countdown zählen
🇮🇹 Italian: Fare il conto alla rovescia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fazer a contagem regressiva
to raise glasses and say good wishes
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Brindar🇫🇷 French: Porter un toast
🇩🇪 German: Anstoßen
🇮🇹 Italian: Fare un brindisi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fazer um brinde
to look at lights in the sky
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Ver los fuegos artificiales🇫🇷 French: Regarder les feux d'artifice
🇩🇪 German: Feuerwerk ansehen
🇮🇹 Italian: Guardare i fuochi d'artificio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Assistir aos fogos de artifício
to not go to bed before 12:00 a.m.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Quedarse despierto hasta la medianoche🇫🇷 French: Rester éveillé jusqu'à minuit
🇩🇪 German: Bis Mitternacht wach bleiben
🇮🇹 Italian: Restare svegli fino a mezzanotte
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ficar acordado até a meia-noite
to decide on goals for the coming year
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Hacer propósitos de Año Nuevo🇫🇷 French: Prendre des résolutions du Nouvel An
🇩🇪 German: Neujahrsvorsätze machen
🇮🇹 Italian: Fare propositi per il nuovo anno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fazer resoluções de Ano Novo
💬 Common New Year Phrases
raising glasses to welcome the year ahead
Show translations
🇪🇸 Hagamos un brindis por el Año Nuevo.🇫🇷 Portons un toast au Nouvel An.
🇩🇪 Stoßen wir auf das neue Jahr an.
🇮🇹 Facciamo un brindisi al nuovo anno.
🇵🇹 Vamos fazer um brinde ao Ano Novo.
we plan to look at the lights in the sky
Show translations
🇪🇸 Vamos a ver los fuegos artificiales.🇫🇷 Nous allons regarder les feux d'artifice.
🇩🇪 Wir werden das Feuerwerk ansehen.
🇮🇹 Andremo a vedere i fuochi d'artificio.
🇵🇹 Vamos assistir aos fogos de artifício.
my goal for the year is to move more
Show translations
🇪🇸 Mi propósito de Año Nuevo es hacer más ejercicio.🇫🇷 Ma résolution du Nouvel An est de faire plus d'exercice.
🇩🇪 Mein Neujahrsvorsatz ist, mehr Sport zu treiben.
🇮🇹 Il mio proposito per il nuovo anno è fare più esercizio.
🇵🇹 Minha resolução de Ano Novo é fazer mais exercícios.
we mark the day with people close to us
Show translations
🇪🇸 Celebramos con familia y amigos.🇫🇷 Nous fêtons avec la famille et les amis.
🇩🇪 Wir feiern mit Familie und Freunden.
🇮🇹 Festeggiamo con la famiglia e gli amici.
🇵🇹 Estamos comemorando com a família e os amigos.
🎆 Cultural Note
New Year's Eve is celebrated on December 31 in many countries. People often enjoy a special meal, watch fireworks, count down to midnight, and wish each other a Happy New Year.
Making New Year's resolutions is especially common in English-speaking countries. Popular resolutions include exercising more, eating healthier, saving money, learning a new skill, or spending more time with family.
Beginner Tip: In English, people usually say "Happy New Year!" from New Year's Eve through the first days of January. It's one of the most common holiday greetings you'll hear.
❓ Useful Questions About New Year's
asking what someone does for the holiday
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cómo celebras el Año Nuevo?🇫🇷 French: Comment fêtes-tu le Nouvel An ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie feierst du Neujahr?
🇮🇹 Italian: Come festeggi il Capodanno?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Como você comemora o Ano Novo?
asking if someone will look at the sky show
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Van a ver los fuegos artificiales?🇫🇷 French: Allez-vous regarder les feux d'artifice ?
🇩🇪 German: Werdet ihr das Feuerwerk ansehen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Andrete a vedere i fuochi d'artificio?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vocês vão assistir aos fogos de artifício?
asking if glasses will be raised at 12:00
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Van a brindar a la medianoche?🇫🇷 French: Allez-vous porter un toast à minuit ?
🇩🇪 German: Werdet ihr um Mitternacht anstoßen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Farete un brindisi a mezzanotte?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vocês vão fazer um brinde à meia-noite?
asking about someone's goal for the year
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuál es tu propósito de Año Nuevo?🇫🇷 French: Quelle est votre résolution du Nouvel An ?
🇩🇪 German: Was ist dein Neujahrsvorsatz?
🇮🇹 Italian: Qual è il tuo proposito per il nuovo anno?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Qual é a sua resolução de Ano Novo?
asking if someone will wait for 12:00 a.m.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Vas a quedarte despierto hasta la medianoche?🇫🇷 French: Vas-tu rester éveillé jusqu'à minuit ?
🇩🇪 German: Bleibst du bis Mitternacht wach?
🇮🇹 Italian: Rimarrai sveglio fino a mezzanotte?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você vai ficar acordado até a meia-noite?
asking which people will join the celebration
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Con quién vas a celebrar?🇫🇷 French: Avec qui vas-tu fêter ?
🇩🇪 German: Mit wem wirst du feiern?
🇮🇹 Italian: Con chi festeggerai?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Com quem você vai comemorar?
💬 Everyday Conversation
talking about what you will do on December 31
A: What are you going to do on New Year's Eve?
B: I'm going to celebrate with my family.
A: Are you going to watch the fireworks?
B: Yes, and we'll make a toast at midnight.
Show translations
🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué vas a hacer en Nochevieja?🇪🇸 B: Voy a celebrar con mi familia.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Van a ver los fuegos artificiales?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, y brindaremos a la medianoche.
🇫🇷 A: Qu'est-ce que tu vas faire pour le Nouvel An ?
🇫🇷 B: Je vais fêter avec ma famille.
🇫🇷 A: Allez-vous regarder les feux d'artifice ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, puis nous porterons un toast à minuit.
🇩🇪 A: Was wirst du an Silvester machen?
🇩🇪 B: Ich werde mit meiner Familie feiern.
🇩🇪 A: Werdet ihr das Feuerwerk ansehen?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, und wir stoßen um Mitternacht an.
🇮🇹 A: Cosa farai la vigilia di Capodanno?
🇮🇹 B: Festeggerò con la mia famiglia.
🇮🇹 A: Andrete a vedere i fuochi d'artificio?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, e faremo un brindisi a mezzanotte.
🇵🇹 A: O que você vai fazer na véspera de Ano Novo?
🇵🇹 B: Vou comemorar com a minha família.
🇵🇹 A: Vocês vão assistir aos fogos de artifício?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, e faremos um brinde à meia-noite.
📝 Example Sentences
the sky show starts at 12:00 a.m.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Los fuegos artificiales empiezan a la medianoche.🇫🇷 French: Les feux d'artifice commencent à minuit.
🇩🇪 German: Das Feuerwerk beginnt um Mitternacht.
🇮🇹 Italian: I fuochi d'artificio iniziano a mezzanotte.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Os fogos de artifício começam à meia-noite.
raising glasses with good wishes
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Brindemos por un feliz Año Nuevo.🇫🇷 French: Portons un toast à une bonne année.
🇩🇪 German: Stoßen wir auf ein frohes neues Jahr an.
🇮🇹 Italian: Facciamo un brindisi a un felice anno nuovo.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vamos fazer um brinde a um feliz Ano Novo.
lots of people set goals for January
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Muchas personas hacen propósitos de Año Nuevo.🇫🇷 French: Beaucoup de personnes prennent des résolutions du Nouvel An.
🇩🇪 German: Viele Menschen fassen Neujahrsvorsätze.
🇮🇹 Italian: Molte persone fanno propositi per il nuovo anno.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Muitas pessoas fazem resoluções de Ano Novo.
we mark the holiday with relatives
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebramos el Año Nuevo con nuestra familia.🇫🇷 French: Nous fêtons le Nouvel An avec notre famille.
🇩🇪 German: Wir feiern Neujahr mit unserer Familie.
🇮🇹 Italian: Festeggiamo il Capodanno con la nostra famiglia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estamos comemorando o Ano Novo com nossa família.
we said the last seconds as a group
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Hicimos la cuenta regresiva juntos.🇫🇷 French: Nous avons fait le compte à rebours ensemble.
🇩🇪 German: Wir haben gemeinsam den Countdown gezählt.
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo fatto il conto alla rovescia insieme.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fizemos a contagem regressiva juntos.
we wish the coming year is happier
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Esperamos que el próximo año sea aún mejor.🇫🇷 French: Nous espérons que l'année prochaine sera encore meilleure.
🇩🇪 German: Wir hoffen, dass das nächste Jahr noch besser wird.
🇮🇹 Italian: Speriamo che il prossimo anno sia ancora migliore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Esperamos que o próximo ano seja ainda melhor.
🏆 Final Practice
Read the situation. Choose the word that fits.
