Happy Nowruz 1394! Phrases to Use Today with Friends and Family

As you know if you’re around Iranians, today marks the beginning of the Nowruz holiday- the most important holiday in Iranian tradition. The year 1394 begins as soon as the earth passes the vernal equinox (it happens at 5:45 PM for us here in Texas, but check to see what time it happens in your neck of the woods).  Here’s the vocabulary to use with your friends and family to wish them a happy holiday:

aidé shomā mobārak- This is probably the most common phrase you’ll hear today, and it means happy new year! aid is the Persian word for holiday, so may your holiday be joyous!

nowruz mobārak- The wordnowruz literally means ‘new day’, so the holiday is a new day and a new year. So this phrase means happy new year! Another very common phrase of the day.

sālé nō mobārak- This is a literal translation of ‘happy new year’. The word sāl is the Persian word for year, and nō means ‘new’.

sad sāl bé een sālhā- This means may there be 100 more joyous years, meaning 100 more years of health and happiness.

ārezooyé salāmatee- ārezoo is the Persian word for hopes or dreams, and salāmatee means ‘health,’ so this phrase means ‘Hoping for health’ in the coming year.

nowruzetoon peerooz- The word peerooz in the Persian language means victorious (it’s also my dear little cousin’s name!). So this phrase means may your new year be victorious.

And that’s it! Six useful phrases to use if you’re around any Iranians today. It’s customary to spend the moment of the new year around close family, and then to immediately call or visit other friends and family to wish them a happy holiday. So, memorize a couple of these phrases, and if you know any Iranians, give them a call this evening!

And nowruz mobārak everybody!

(Or as some of our dear friends in these parts say- NIFTY NOWRUZ Y'ALL)

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