Happy New Year in Punjabi: Nava Saal Mubarak, 15 Wishes, and When Punjabi New Year Actually Is
Happy New Year in Punjabi is Nave saal diyan lakh lakh vadhaaiyan (ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਲੱਖ ਲੱਖ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ) or Nava saal mubarak (ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ). Fifteen New Year wishes with Gurmukhi and pronunciation, how to reply, and the three New Years Punjabis celebrate: 1 January, Vaisakhi on 14 April 2027, and the Nanakshahi new year on 14 March.
"Happy New Year" in Punjabi is Nave saal diyan lakh lakh vadhaaiyan (ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਲੱਖ ਲੱਖ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ, "a hundred thousand congratulations for the new year") or the shorter Nava saal mubarak (ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ, "blessed new year"). Reply with Tuhanu vi — "to you too". Punjabis actually get three New Years: 1 January like everyone else, Vaisakhi on 13–14 April (the traditional Punjabi new year and harvest festival — 14 April in 2027), and the Nanakshahi new year of the Sikh calendar on 14 March. Here are the wishes for all of them, with Gurmukhi and pronunciation.
Happy New Year Wishes in Punjabi
| Wish | Gurmukhi | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nave saal diyan lakh lakh vadhaaiyan | ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਲੱਖ ਲੱਖ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ | na-VAYN saal dee-AAN lukh lukh vuh-DHAA-ee-aan | Happy New Year (the warmest) |
| Nava saal mubarak | ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ | na-VAAN saal mu-BAA-ruk | Happy New Year (short) |
| Nava saal mubarak hove | ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ ਹੋਵੇ | … HO-vay | May the new year be blessed |
| Tuhanu te tuhade parivaar nu nave saal diyan vadhaaiyan | ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਤੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ | — | Happy New Year to you and your family |
| Nava saal tuhade layi khushiyan liaave | ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਲਈ ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਲਿਆਵੇ | … KHU-shee-aan li-AA-vay | May the new year bring you happiness |
| Rabb nave saal vich tuhanu sehat te khushiyan deve | ਰੱਬ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਸਿਹਤ ਤੇ ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਦੇਵੇ | — | May God give you health and happiness in the new year |
| Nava saal barkataan naal bhareya hove | ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਬਰਕਤਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਭਰਿਆ ਹੋਵੇ | … bur-ka-TAAN naal BHUR-ee-aa HO-vay | May the new year be full of blessings |
| Eh saal tuhade saare supne poore kare | ਇਹ ਸਾਲ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਸੁਪਨੇ ਪੂਰੇ ਕਰੇ | — | May this year fulfil all your dreams |
| Pichhla saal changa langhia, agla hor changa hove | ਪਿਛਲਾ ਸਾਲ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੰਘਿਆ, ਅਗਲਾ ਹੋਰ ਚੰਗਾ ਹੋਵੇ | — | Last year went well; may the next be better still |
| Nave saal vich Rabb tuhade te mehar kare | ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਰੱਬ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ 'ਤੇ ਮਿਹਰ ਕਰੇ | — | May God's kindness be on you in the new year |
| Chardi kala vich raho | ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹੋ | CHUDH-dee ka-LAA vich ra-HO | Stay in ever-rising spirits |
| Happy New Year ji! | ਹੈਪੀ ਨਿਊ ਯੀਅਰ ਜੀ! | — | What most WhatsApp groups say at midnight |
To reply: Tuhanu vi (ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਵੀ, "you too") or Tuhanu vi lakh lakh vadhaaiyan. The [occasion] diyan lakh lakh vadhaaiyan pattern works for every festival — see congratulations in Punjabi.
The Three Punjabi New Years
| New Year | When | What it is | What to say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Every year | The civil new year — parties, fireworks in Chandigarh and Brampton alike, midnight messages | Nava saal mubarak / Happy New Year ji |
| Vaisakhi | 13 or 14 April (14 April 2027) | The traditional Punjabi new year and spring harvest festival, and the day the Khalsa was founded in 1699 — the biggest day in the Punjabi calendar | Vaisakhi diyan lakh lakh vadhaaiyan — see Vaisakhi wishes |
| Nanakshahi New Year (1 Chet) | 14 March every year | The first day of the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar, adopted in 2003; 14 March 2027 begins Nanakshahi year 559 | Nave saal diyan vadhaaiyan — marked at the gurdwara more than at home |
Lohri, on the night of 13–14 January, isn't a new year but it opens the year's festivals — see Lohri wishes in Punjabi, and the whole year's dates in the Punjabi festival calendar 2027. The Punjabi months themselves (Chet, Vaisakh, Jeth…) are in days and months in Punjabi.
New Year's Eve Words
| English | Punjabi | Gurmukhi |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Eve | Nave saal di shaam / saal da aakhri din | ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਾਮ / ਸਾਲ ਦਾ ਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਦਿਨ |
| Midnight | Adhi raat | ਅੱਧੀ ਰਾਤ |
| Countdown: ten, nine, eight… | Das, nau, atth… | ਦਸ, ਨੌਂ, ਅੱਠ… |
| Resolution (intention) | Nave saal da iraada | ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦਾ ਇਰਾਦਾ |
| This year I'll learn Punjabi (m / f) | Is saal main Punjabi sikhaanga / sikhaangi | ਇਸ ਸਾਲ ਮੈਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿੱਖਾਂਗਾ / ਸਿੱਖਾਂਗੀ |
| Party | Party / jashan | ਪਾਰਟੀ / ਜਸ਼ਨ |
| Fireworks | Aatishbaazi / patakhe | ਆਤਿਸ਼ਬਾਜ਼ੀ / ਪਟਾਕੇ |
| Last year / next year | Pichhle saal / agle saal | ਪਿਛਲੇ ਸਾਲ / ਅਗਲੇ ਸਾਲ |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say happy new year in Punjabi?
Nave saal diyan lakh lakh vadhaaiyan (ਨਵੇਂ ਸਾਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਲੱਖ ਲੱਖ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ) or Nava saal mubarak (ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ). Reply with tuhanu vi, "you too".
When is the Punjabi New Year?
Traditionally at Vaisakhi, on 13 or 14 April — 14 April in 2027 — which is also the spring harvest festival and the anniversary of the Khalsa. Punjabis celebrate 1 January as well.
What is the Nanakshahi New Year?
The first day of the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar, 1 Chet, which falls on 14 March every year. Nanakshahi years count from Guru Nanak's birth in 1469, so 14 March 2027 begins the year 559.
How do you say happy new year to a family in Punjabi?
Tuhanu te tuhade parivaar nu nave saal diyan lakh lakh vadhaaiyan — "Happy New Year to you and your family."
Make This the Year You Speak Punjabi
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