How do you say Happy new year in Italian?
Matthew Wilson
Updated on February 28, 2026
To say Happy New Year, you say Buon anno or Felice Anno Nuovo or, more common in writing, Auguri per un felice (year) – for example, this year you would say Auguri per un felice 2020.
What is the new year called in Italy?
New Year’s Day, January 1, is called Capodanno (pronounced kah|poh|DAHN|noh), which literally translates to “head of the year.” Whereas Christmas in Italy is very family-oriented, New Year’s Eve is much less so.
How is the new year celebrated in Italy?
Many Italians love to celebrate New Year’s Eve with firework displays, festivals, bonfires, concerts, and parties. Dinners may include meals such as Cotechino (Italian sausage) and Lenticchie (lentils). Italian sparkling wines such as prosecco or spumante are toasted to farewell the old year and celebrate the New Year.
How do Italians wish each other Happy New Year?
Other ways to wish a happy New Year in Italian Buona fine e buon inizio! (wishes of a) good ending and a good beginning! Felice anno nuovo! Happy new year!
What time is New Years in Italy?
Huge midnight fireworks displays celebrate the coming of the new year. Most towns have public displays in a central square but private parties will also include firecrackers or sparklers, too, and will continue for a long time.
Why is Capodanno celebrated in Italy?
If the year’s a body, today’s its head. That’s the literal meaning of Capodanno, the Italian for ‘New Year’s Day’. It makes our name for January 1st seem boringly literal in comparison, but Italians call the first day of the new year the capo d’anno, or ‘head of the year’.
Is Easter in Italy?
Pasqua, Easter in Italy In Italy, Easter is known as Pasqua. It is the second most important religious holiday in Italy, after Christmas. Over history, religious and cultural traditions have shaped Easter celebrations worldwide. La Settimana Santa (“The Holy Week”) begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter.
What do Italians eat on Capodanno?
Tortellini or Cappelletti in Broth One of the several Italian names for the new year, Capodanno, means the “head of the year.” Cappelletti means “little hats,” so perhaps that’s why it’s an appropriate dish to “cap off” the old year and begin the new one.