As a new year approaches, it feels only natural to pause and look back on the past 12 months—to reflect on what has unfolded, to appreciate the lessons learned along the way, and to acknowledge how far we’ve come. At the same time, the turning of the year invites us to look ahead, to imagine what we hope the months to come will bring, and to put those hopes into words.

In this post, we’ll explore a selection of useful grammar patterns for expressing wishes, along with some vivid and expressive vocabulary to enrich them. As you prepare to wish your loved ones—and yourself—a happy New Year in the days ahead, we hope this guide will help you find exactly the right words in English to articulate the possibilities, ambitions, and joys you’d like to see take shape.