By Vahid Alaghehband
December 31 is New Year's Eve and January 1 is New Year's Day; the greeting is Happy New Year! In Ecuador, families burn an año viejo, an effigy of the old year, at midnight.
Here are New Year phrases, how to talk about your resolutions and how Ecuador says goodbye to the old year.
New Year phrases
- Happy New Year!
- Best wishes for 2027!
- Let's count down: ten, nine, eight…
- What are your New Year's resolutions?
- See you next year!
New Year's resolutions
Use going to for plans you've decided and will for promises: I'm going to practice English every day. I'll read more books. Review the difference in will vs going to.
How Ecuador says goodbye to the old year
The año viejo or monigote is a life-size doll made of old clothes stuffed with paper. It's burned at midnight on December 31 to say goodbye to the year. According to Primicias, the first records of the custom in Ecuador date from 1895 in Guayaquil, during a yellow fever outbreak.
- Testamento: a funny poem or letter written as the doll's last will, joking about the year.
- Viudas: men dress up as the doll's "widows" and playfully ask for coins on the street.
- Twelve grapes: some people eat twelve grapes at midnight, one for each month.
Mini quiz
I ___ going to practice English every day. (am / is)
Show answer
am: I'm going to…
We burn the año viejo ___ midnight.
Show answer
at: at midnight.
Practice your New Year's resolutions with Vozi Coach
With Vozi Coach you can talk about this topic by voice or text and practice these phrases at your level.
Explore Vozi Coach →Read next: Christmas vocabulary and will vs going to.
Frequently asked questions
What is an año viejo?
A life-size doll of old clothes stuffed with paper, burned at midnight on December 31 in Ecuador to say goodbye to the year.
How do you talk about New Year's resolutions?
Use going to for decided plans and will for promises: I'm going to exercise more. I'll read more books.
Where does the custom come from?
According to Primicias, the first records in Ecuador date from 1895 in Guayaquil, during a yellow fever outbreak.
