שנה טובה
Happy New Year
Shanah tovah
New Year greeting for Rosh Hashanah.
Context: Literally means "good year". Used during Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah).
How to Use "Happy New Year" in a Conversation
Example conversation:
A: Literally means "good year".
B: שנה טובה
This phrase is considered neutral in register and is at a beginner difficulty level for Hebrew learners.
How to Pronounce "שנה טובה"
Shanah tovah
Break it down: Shanah — tovah
Hebrew is read from right to left. The transliteration above follows English reading order (left to right) to help you pronounce each sound correctly.
Cultural Tips for Using This Phrase
In Israel, this phrase works in most situations — from talking to friends to speaking with shopkeepers or colleagues.
This phrase stays the same regardless of the speaker's gender, making it easy to learn and use for beginners.
Body language matters in Israel. When saying "happy new year", Israelis often accompany greetings with warm eye contact and sometimes a handshake or cheek kiss between friends.
Learning "Happy New Year" — Quick Reference
| Hebrew | שנה טובה |
| Pronunciation | Shanah tovah |
| English | Happy New Year |
| Category | greetings |
| Difficulty | beginner |
| Gender-specific | No — same for everyone |
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