guten Rutsch

German

Etymology

Literally, "good slide", suggesting one slides into the new year.

An alternative suggestion is that it derives from Hebrew רֹאשׁ (rosh, “beginning”), clipped from רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (rosh hashaná, “beginning of the new year”). (Compare Hals- und Beinbruch, said to be from a Yiddish phrase.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɡuːtn̩ ˈʁʊtʃ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Phrase

1. happy New Year

   Synonym: guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr

Usage notes

Only used in the final days of December and up until midnight on New Year's Eve, after which other phrases such as frohes neues Jahr are used.