How To Express New Year’s Resolutions In Spanish

AdrianAdrian in Vocabulary
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Whether it’s learning a new language, getting into fitness, traveling or other, knowing how to express New Year’s Resolutions in Spanish may be useful at some point.

In this post, we’ll cover the most commonly used verbs and phrases related to Propósitos de Año Nuevo (aka New Year’s Resolutions).

New Year’s Resolutions In Spanish: Common Verbs

At the start of the new year, we all tend to have different goals for the next 12 months.

Below are the most commonly used verbs related to various goals, or new year’s resolutions.

1) To exercise, to work out – Hacer ejercicio, ejercitarse

A person in a blue tracksuit and headband prepares to start a race on a red running track, demonstrating focus and determination. This image reflects themes of fitness and New Year’s resolutions in Spanish.

  • I promise to exercise more next year, it is a fact – Prometo hacer más ejercicio el año que viene, es un hecho
  • In 2020 we will work out more days a week – En el 2020 nos ejercitaremos más días a la semana

2) To get in shape – Ponerse en forma

A shirtless man performing a workout with dumbbells in an industrial setting, focusing intensely. The background features dim lighting, highlighting his effort during exercise.

  • My friend and I wish to do more sports during 2020, so we will start running in the mornings – Deseamos hacer más deportes durante el 2020 así que comenzaremos a correr en la mañanas
  • Valeria is going to start training in 2020 to get in shape, she wants to look much better –  Valeria va a comenzar a entrenar en el 2020, quiere lucir mucho mejor

3) To quit, to stop + verb – Dejar de + verbo

An ashtray filled with burnt-out cigarettes, some partially crushed, with a new cigarette resting among the remnants. The scene conveys a smoking environment.

  • Maritza will stop eating carbs in 2020, that’s why she is going to push herself to make it – Maritza habrá dejado de comer carbohidratos para el año que viene, es por eso que va a esforzarse para lograrlo
  • Stop drinking sodas is my priority number one for 2020 – Dejar de beber gaseosas es mi prioridad número uno para el 2020

4) To learn – Aprender

A young girl sitting in a grassy field, playing a small guitar. She has long blonde hair and is wearing a light-colored shirt and denim shorts. Soft sunlight illuminates the scene.

  • Juliana wants to start learning Spanish next year from scratch – Juliana quiere empezar a estudiar español desde 0 el año que viene
  • Next year my friend is going to learn to cook since she loves lasagna – El próximo año mi amigo va aprender a cocinar porque le encanta el pasticho

5) To eat more/less + adjective or noun – Comer más/menos + adjetivo o sustantivo

A man wearing an orange and gray shirt is playfully pretending to bite a pumpkin in a field filled with pumpkins under a clear blue sky.

  • Eat less sweets and eat more fruits is our most important resolution for 2020 –  Comer menos golosinas y comer más frutas es nuestro propósito más importante para el 2020
  • By 2020 I will stop eating junk food, and I will eat more healthy food like salads, cereals and dried fruits and nuts – Para el 2020 dejaré de consumir comida chatarra y comeré alimentos más saludables como ensaladas, cereales y frutos secos

6) To go to bed earlier –  Acostarse más temprano

A panda resting on a tree branch, with its head leaning against the trunk. The panda has black and white fur, with its eyes closed and a peaceful expression. Lush green foliage is visible in the background.

  • Sleeping is good for mental health, so next year we are going to bed earlier – Dormir es bueno para la salud mental, por lo que el año que viene vamos acostarnos más temprano
  • Next year we promise to go to bed earlier. This year we had many things to do – Prometemos que el año que viene vamos acostarnos más temprano. Este año tuvimos muchas cosas que hacer

7) To wake up earlier – Levantarse más temprano

A classic white alarm clock showing the time next to a white cup on a saucer, placed on a wooden surface with soft light from a window.

  • Javier and his wife would like to wake up earlier to train, they will do it from next year – A Javier y su esposa les encantaría levantarse más temprano para entrenar, empezarán a partir del próximo año
  • Next year I am going to start waking up earlier to go for a walk – El año que viene voy a comenzar a levantarme temprano para salir a caminar

8) To be more/less + adjective – Ser más/menos + adjetivo

A child wearing a yellow coat and a patterned hat squats on the ground, looking at a small white dog sitting in a natural outdoor setting. The background features green foliage and soft lighting.

  • José Luis wishes to be more kind and friendly with his co-workers – Carlos desearía ser más amable y amistoso con sus compañeros de trabajo
  • Rebecca wants to be more polite, so she promises she will stop cursing in 2020 –  Rebecca quiere ser más respetuosa así que promete que en el 2020 dejará de decir malas palabras

9) To go – Ir a

A silhouetted figure of a person standing next to a bicycle, with a dog beside them, against a vibrant sunset in the background.

  • I hope my sister can go to the countryside in the summertime next year. It is beautiful – Ojalá mi hermana pueda ir al campo en verano del año próximo. Es hermoso
  • We wish we could go and visit Santiago Bernabéu Stadium next year. It’s our big dream – Ojalá pudiéramos ir y visitar el estadio Santiago Bernabéu el año que viene. Es nuestro gran sueño

10) To travel – Viajar a

A traveler looking up at a flight information board at an airport, displaying arrival and departure times. People with luggage are seen in the terminal area. The scene captures the bustling atmosphere of air travel.

  • Vanessa and her husband are planning to travel to Costa Rica on their next wedding anniversary – Vanessa y su esposo están planeando viajar a Costa Rica en su próximo aniversario de bodas
  • By the end of 2020 I will have visited many South American countries –  Para finales del año 2020 habré visitado muchos países sudamericanos

11) To start, to begin – Comenzar, empezar

A person wearing a gray jacket and black pants jumping in the middle of a street, with buildings lining either side. The image captures a lively urban scene, emphasizing movement and energy.

  • Next year, I will start to get to work earlier – El año que viene comenzaré a llegar más temprano a mi trabajo
  • I would like to start working out on weekends, but I’m too lazy. I’ll do it next year, no excuses –  Me gustaría comenzar a ejercitarme los fines de semana pero soy demasiado flojo. Lo haré el año próximo sin excusas

12) To improve – Mejorar

A 3D bar graph with ascending white bars and a green line graph overlay, illustrating an upward trend. This image relates to new year's resolutions in Spanish, representing growth and progress.

  • Next year I am going to focus on improving my reading and writing skills in Spanish – El año que viene voy a concentrarme en mejorar mi destreza lectora y de redacción en español
  • I want to improve my concentration and my mental skills. I will do my best next year! – Quiero mejorar mi concentración y mis destrezas mentales. ¡Haré lo mejor que pueda!

13) To meet – Conocer

Two children holding hands on a cobblestone path during sunset. One child has curly hair wearing a white shirt and plaid shorts, while the other is in a patterned jumpsuit. The warm sunlight illuminates the scene.

  • Alejandra promises to meet new friends in 2020 – Alejandra promete conocer nuevos amigos en el 2020
  • Michelle is looking forward to meeting her soulmate next year – Michelle está esperando con ansias conocer a su media naranja el próximo año

14) To earn – Ganar

A visual representation of financial growth, featuring stacks of coins of varying heights alongside a jar filled with coins and a small plant growing from each stack, set against a natural blurred background. The image symbolizes prosperity and new years resolutions in Spanish.

  • Gabriel expects to find a better job where he earns more money in 2020 – Gabriel aspira encontrar un mejor trabajo en el 2020 donde gane más dinero
  • We all aspire to earn more money in 2020, so let’s do the best we can to achieve it – Todos aspiramos ganar más dinero en el 2020, así que hagamos nuestro mejor esfuerzo para lograrlo

15) To lose weight – Perder peso

A person wearing a gray top holds out large denim jeans, indicating a significant size difference. The focus is on the waistband of the jeans, emphasizing weight loss or body change.

  • Marisela wants to lose some weight by next year, that’s why she is going to eat more healthy food in 2020 – Marisela quiere perder peso para el año que viene, es por eso que va a comer alimentos más saludables en el 2020
  • Carolina is on a strict diet, no carbs, just salad and fish. She wishes a perfect body for 2020  –  Para perder peso, Carolina sigue una dieta estricta sin carbohidratos, solo pescado y ensalada. Desea un cuerpo perfecto para el 2020

16) To gain weight – ganar/subir peso

A muscular man in a blue tank top with a superhero logo exercises in a gym. He is using a cable machine with a determined expression, showcasing his strength. The background features gym equipment.

  • I gained some weight during 2019, but it is time I worked out harder – Subí de peso durante el 2019, pero es el momento de empezar a ejercitarme más duro
  • He hopes not to gain weight again in 2020 because his diet was pretty difficult – El espera no ganar peso de nuevo porque su dieta fue bastante difícil

17) To spend – Pasar

A couple sitting in a field of tall grass, with the woman wearing a white tank top and the man in a white t-shirt. They are close to a child sitting between them, who has a bow in her hair. The scene conveys a sense of family togetherness in a natural setting.

  • Spending more time with our family should be a priority in Resolutions list – Pasar tiempo con nuestra familia debería ser una prioridad en la lista de propósitos
  • We promise to spend more time with our kids next year. They are growing up so fast! – Prometemos compartir más tiempo con nuestros niños el año que viene. ¡Están creciendo muy rápido!

18) To share – Compartir

Two women riding bicycles on a path surrounded by lush greenery in a park. One woman is smiling and reaching out to the other, who is also smiling. The scene suggests a joyful outdoor activity.

  • They want to share more time with their parents because they haven’t seen them since 2010 – Ellos quieren compartir más tiempo con sus padres porque no los han visto desde el 2010
  • Carlos would love to share more time with his college friends, so he will move with them in 2020. – A Carlos le encantaría compartir más tiempo con sus amigos de la universidad así que se mudará con ellos en el 2020

 19) To save more/less – Ahorrar más/menos

A row of four pink piggy banks lined up on a soft pink background, each with a simple design and black eyes. The piggy banks symbolize saving and financial goals, relevant to new year's resolutions in Spanish.

  • We are planning to save much more money since we hope to move to a bigger apartment – Estamos planeando ahorrar mucho más dinero porque tenemos la esperanza de mudarnos a un apartamento más grande
  • My family and I promise to save more money in 2020 to go on a cruise across the Caribbean – Mi familia y yo prometemos ahorrar más dinero en el 2020 para ir a un crucero por todo el Caribe

20) To volunteer – Hacer trabajo voluntario, trabajar como voluntario

A collection of raised hands in various colors, including purple, blue, green, yellow, and red, against a white background, symbolizing unity and participation.

  • David and his siblings would like volunteering at the animal shelter – A David y sus hermanos les gustaría trabajar como voluntarios en el refugio de animales
  • Last year I volunteered in a nursing home, and I will do it again next year – El año pasado trabajé como voluntario en un ancianato, y el año que viene lo volveré hacer

Useful Phrases to express New Year’s Resolutions in Spanish

The resolutions are wishes you want to come true, goals you want to fulfill, or things you would like to get next year. So, there are three common ways to do it:

  1. I wish… – Deseo, desearía…
  2. I wish a new car – Deseo un auto nuevo
  3. I would like… – Me gustaría
  4. I would like to eat more fruits and greens – Me gustaría comer más frutas y vegetales
  5. I want to… Quiero, quisiera
  6. I want to become more active – Quiero volverme más activo
  7. I promise… Prometo
  8. I promise to be a better person – Prometo ser una mejor persona
  9. I hope… Yo espero, tengo la esperanza
  10. I hope to buy a bigger house next year – Tengo la esperanza de comprar una casa más grande el año que viene
  11. Next year I am going to… El año que viene/ el próximo año voy a…
  12. Next year I am going to eat less pasta РEl a̱o que viene voy a comer menos pasta
  13. In 2020 + verb (future simple) – En el 2020 + verbo (futuro simple)
  14. In 2020 we will stop procrastinating things – En el 2020 dejaremos de posponer las cosas

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