What is Happy New Year in Vietnamese? Different Ways to Say It
Updated: Aug 21
Walk into any Vietnamese phở restaurant or grocery store in the weeks before the Lunar New Year, and you'll hear it everywhere: "Chúc mừng năm mới." Happy New Year in Vietnamese isn't just a basic phrase, but it's a thread that keeps people connected.
The Lunar New Year—Tết Nguyên Đán or shortly Tết in Vietnam reveals the heart of the culture. It’s a time of fresh starts, family reunions, delicious Vietnamese fruits, and warm wishes. This post breaks down exactly what the phrase means, how to pronounce it correctly, and a variety of wishes you can use depending on who you're talking to.
What is Happy New Year in Vietnamese?
The direct and most standard translation for Happy New Year in Vietnamese is "Chúc Mừng Năm Mới". Each word carries its meaning:
Chúc: to wish
Mừng: to celebrate or congratulate
Năm: year
Mới: new
Put together, it literally translates to something like "wishing you a joyful new year," or “congratulations on the new year.” You can use this phrase during both the New Year (January 1st) and the Lunar New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán, which falls on the first day of the first lunar month in Vietnam). Feel free to use this phrase with any Vietnamese speaker you meet—it works perfectly every time, no adjustment necessary.
Customizing Chúc mừng năm mới based on speakers
If you’ve already learned something about Vietnamese pronouns and want to personalize the greeting, simply put the relevant pronoun at the end of the phrase.
Example:
Chúc mừng năm mới ông/ bà – to an older man/woman (grandfather/grandmother-aged, or a term of high respect)
Chúc mừng năm mới anh/chị – to a slightly older man/woman
Chúc mừng năm mới em – to someone younger than you
To say Happy New Year to your lover, you can use "Chúc mừng năm mới anh" (speaking to your boyfriend or husband) or "Chúc mừng năm mới em" (speaking to your girlfriend or wife). Read more on how to say I love you in Vietnamese.
Customizing Chúc mừng năm mới based on the year
For the Lunar New Year, there are variants based on the zodiac animal of the upcoming year. Vietnamese Tết follows the same 12-animal zodiac cycle as the broader Lunar New Year calendar (Rat, Buffalo, Tiger, Cat, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig).
You can add the animal's name right after "năm mới" to specify which year you're celebrating. Technically, you can use the regular name of the animal; however, Vietnam uses a system of Sino-Vietnamese zodiac terms in formal or written contexts, which don't always match the everyday word for the animal. For instance, in casual speech a cat is simply "con mèo," but in the formal zodiac naming system tied to the lunar calendar, the year is often referred to by its Sino-Vietnamese branch name, like "Mão" or "Quý Mão."
Example:
Chúc mừng năm mới Bính Ngọ (2026 - Year of the Horse “con ngựa”)
Chúc mừng năm mới Đinh Mùi (2027 - Year of the Goat “con dê”)
Chúc mừng năm mới Mậu Thân (2028 - Year of the Monkey “con khỉ”)
How to pronounce Happy New Year in Vietnamese
Chúc mừng năm mới can be pronounced in English as Chook Muhng Nahm Moy. To say Chúc mừng năm mới correctly, learn the Vietnamese six tones first. In this phrase, there are three tones used: thanh sắc (rising tone) in “chúc” and “mới”; thanh huyền (falling tone) in “mừng” and thanh ngang (flat tone) in ”năm.”
The Vietnamese spelling breakdown:
Chúc: “ch” - “uc” - sắc - ”chúc”
Mừng: “m” - “ưng” - “mưng” - huyền - “mừng”
Năm: “n” - “ăm” - “năm”
Mới: “m” - “ơi” - “mơi” - sắc - “mới”
Happy New Year in Vietnamese Wishes
In Vietnamese culture, the Lunar New Year is above all a cherished occasion for family reunions. People will send wishes for health, prosperity, and family happiness. Here are popular wishes catering to different situations.
Wishes for health and longevity
For elders, wishes for health and longevity are the most common one. After Chúc mừng năm mới, you can use “Con chúc” followed by the pronoun for the elder you're speaking to, then your specific wish.
Chúc ông bà sống lâu trăm tuổi. (Wishing my grandparents a long life of a hundred years.)
Chúc cho ba mẹ mãi sống khỏe, sống vui bên con cháu. (Wishing my parents eternal health and happiness alongside their children and grandchildren.)
Chúc ông bà phúc như Đông Hải, thọ tỷ Nam Sơn. (May your blessings be as vast as the Eastern Sea and a lifespan as enduring as South Mountain.)
Chúc cô chú luôn mạnh khỏe, hạnh phúc và sống an nhiên bên con cháu. (Wishing my aunt and uncle good health, happiness, and a serene life with their children and grandchildren.)
Chúc bác luôn được mọi sự như ý, sức khỏe an khang và tràn đầy hạnh phúc. (Wishing my uncle/aunt that everything goes as they wish, along with good health and abundant happiness.)
Wishes for children
Vietnamese people don't only say New Year wishes to elders, they also extend heartfelt greetings to children. While elders are typically wished long life and good health, children are wished growth, good behavior, and success in school.
Chúc con năm mới học hành tấn tới. (Wishing you good progress in your studies this new year.)
Chúc con học giỏi, nghe lời ông bà cha mẹ. (Wishing you excellent grades and to always listen to your grandparents and parents.)
Năm mới chúc con nhiều quà, nhiều lì xì. (Wishing you lots of gifts and lucky money this new year.)
Chúc con mau ăn, chóng lớn, khỏe mạnh, thông minh. (Wishing you to eat well, grow up fast, stay healthy, and be smart.)
Wishes for wealth and business success
Looking to share some good fortune with business partners, colleagues, or anyone starting a new venture? In Vietnam, wishing for prosperity during Tết is standard practice and deeply appreciated. Use these traditional phrases to wish someone a successful year ahead:
Chúc bạn công việc kinh doanh thuận lợi, làm ăn phát đạt. (Wishing you smooth business operations and thriving success.)
Chúc công ty năm mới ký kết thêm nhiều hợp đồng tiền tỷ. (Wishing the company a new year filled with many more billion-dong contracts signed.)
Chúc công ty một năm với may mắn ngập tràn và thành công vượt trội. (Wishing the company a year overflowing with luck and outstanding success. )
Chúc bạn một năm kinh doanh thật thành công và thịnh vượng. (Wishing you a year of true business success and prosperity.)
General wishes to pair with Happy New Year in Vietnamese
Not every Chúc mừng năm mới greeting needs to be tailored to a specific person or relationship. Sometimes a simple, all-purpose wish is exactly what's needed.
Vạn sự như ý. (May everything go as you wish)
An khang thịnh vượng. (Peace, good health, and prosperity.)
Sức khỏe dồi dào. (Abundant health.)
Bình an cả năm. (Peace and safety throughout the year.)
Mọi sự hanh thông. (May everything go smoothly.)
Saying Happy New Year in Vietnamese is a common greeting in Vietnamese and little window into a culture that deeply values family, respect, and hopeful beginnings. Whether you're greeting a friend, a coworker, or your Vietnamese in-laws for the first time, using Chúc mừng năm mới along with one of the wishes above is a beautiful gesture that shows genuine respect and care.
