How to Say “Happy Birthday” in 25 Different Languages
happy Birthday to you ! The gifts, the cake, the celebration…
Birthdays are a joyful occasion, to be sure !
Traditions for celebrations around the universe constantly vary, but birthdays are one of the things that all people have in common, even if they speak different languages. so take this as an opportunity for more talk rehearse ! After all, who doesn ’ t like to be wished a happy Birthday ? You could even plan a birthday celebration in the linguistic process you ’ re eruditeness !
Have you wondered if early cultures sing a felicitous birthday sung, like in English ? Do they give gifts ? What about coat ? Read on and learn how to say happy Birthday in many languages around the populace, and the cultural mean behind it.
Happy Birthday in Spanish: Feliz Cumpleaños
Translated as “ Happy Completed Years, ” everyone ’ south birthday is a big day of celebration in most spanish-speaking countries. In Mexico, they sing their own singular birthday song, Las Mañanitas ( “ Little Mornings ” ). And alternatively of blowing out candles on your cake, the birthday boy or girl has to eat the first gear sting without using utensils or hands. normally, a syndicate penis will shove the cake in their face, all while singing “ Mordida ! Mordida ! ” And, of course, a birthday party is not arrant without the world-famous piñata !
Happy Birthday in French: Bon Anniversaire
In french, people wish each other a “ well birthday ! ” Birthday parties in France are much like those in english-speaking countries. They celebrate with a big party, coat and presents, and sing Joyeux Anniversaire. The big difference is that schoolchildren have Wednesdays off, and go to school on Saturdays. thus most birthday parties are actually thrown on Wednesday when all the kids are out of school. As for Sundays, that ’ s considered syndicate prison term. thus most parents won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate form birthday parties then .
In Quebec, you ’ ll learn Bonne fête ! far more much than Bon anniversaire. This literally translates as “ Good party ! ”
Happy Birthday in Italian: Buon Compleanno
The most luminary thing about birthdays in Italy ? They prefer to stay home ! The food and cakes are often homemade. But when it ’ s your 18th birthday, everyone goes all out. It ’ s not unusual to see an 18th birthday party with hundreds of people wishing you a “ good birthday ! ”
Happy Birthday in German: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag
This is more accurately translated as, “ All the best on your birthday. ” Birthday parties started in Germany in 1200 A.D. and are known as kinderfeste. In Germany, it ’ south considered quite bad fortune to wish person a felicitous Birthday early, and they have many playfulness celebrations based on their senesce. such as turning 16 and getting flour dumped all over you, or having eggs cracked over your head when you turn 18 !
Happy Birthday in Japanese: お誕生日おめでとうございます (Otanjoubi Omedetou Gozaimasu)
“ Congratulations on your birthday ! ” In Japan, they celebrate Shichi-Go-San, which literally means 7-5-3. These are lucky numbers and children go to a Shinto shrine on 15th November if they had a lucky birthday that year. They pray and give thanks for their good health and forte. All children go when they are three years old, boys when they are five, and girls when they are seven .
Happy Birthday in Korean: 생일 축하 (Saeng-il Chugha)
besides translated as “ Congratulations on your birthday. ” In Korea, 100 days after you ’ re born, you celebrate your inaugural birthday ! Parents celebrate their child ’ sulfur life with a humble fete, and they predict the child ’ s future by the items he or she picks up. If the child is sick, the parents will skip over the day so adenine to not bring bad luck on their child. They besides send rice cakes to as many friends and family as possible because sharing rice cakes brings a long life. last, they offer up food such as rice to Samshin Halmoni, the Grandmother Spirit, for taking care of the child .
Happy Birthday in Chinese: 生日快乐 (Shēngrì Kuàilè)
In China, birthdays are largely celebrated when you are very unseasoned or older than 50. It ’ south coarse on your birthday to eat longevity noodles without breaking them sol you bring in good fortune and a long biography. Some people flush wait until they are 60 years old to have their inaugural birthday bash ! There are besides some taboos about certain ages, so men don ’ t celebrate their fortieth birthdays, and women do n’t celebrate 30, 33, or 66 .
The literal translation of Shēngrì Kuàilè is something like, “ Birthday is felicitous. ”
Happy Birthday in Cantonese: 生日快樂 (Sang Yat Fai Lok)
Be careful with your birthday gifts ! never give a clock or a match of shoes as a gift, as the words for them sound like “ funeral, ” which is frightful fortune. And gifts should be given wrapped in red or amber newspaper, specially for an aged person .
Happy Birthday in Russian: С днем рождения (S Dnem Rozhdeniya)
In Russia, the birthday tradition is to pull on the birthday boy or girlfriend ’ mho ears by how many years honest-to-god he or she is. They tell the child, “ Grow up — don ’ t be noodles, ” so the child will grow up potent. They don ’ triiodothyronine sing a birthday sung, but if the person has survived a dangerous incident – like a car crash – they celebrate that day as their second gear birthday .
Happy Birthday in Portuguese: Feliz Aniversário
Feliz aniversário means “ felicitous Anniversary, ” and it ‘s the patronize translation for “ Happy Birthday. ” But it ’ mho more coarse to merely say “ Parabéns ” ( “ Congratulations ” ). Birthdays in Portugal are very similar to those in english-speaking countries. But birthdays in Brazil, like Russia, include pulling on the ears for good fortune. They besides decorate their homes with brightly-colored paper flowers and banners for the festivities .
Happy Birthday in Dutch: Gefeliciteerd Met Je Verjaardag
“ Congratulations on your birthday ! ” Birthdays are a big hand in the Netherlands. And most people have a Birthday Calendar that, interestingly, they keep by the toilet ! The calendar reminds them of everyone ’ south birthdays for the class because forgetting one ( or trying to skip your own ! ) is a major rebuff to your love ones. A fiftieth birthday is the biggest celebration of all, as it ’ s said the man or woman “ sees Abraham ” or “ sees Sarah ” – referring to the biblical couple who bore a child in old age .
Happy Birthday in Afrikaans: Veels Geluk Met Jou Verjaarsdag
Like Dutch, this saying means “ Congratulations on your birthday. ” Do you see a consistent theme here ? Most countries say “ congratulations ” alternatively of “ happy. ” In South Africa, the 21st birthday is the most significant. Parents normally give their children a key made of gold, silver medal, or aluminum, to symbolise unlocking the future and all it has to offer .
Happy Birthday in Polish: Wszystkiego Najlepszego Z Okazji Urodzin
“ All the best for your birthday ! ” In Poland, they have their own birthday birdcall which goes : “ Sto latissimus dorsi, sto latissimus dorsi, niech żyje żyje nam ” ( “ A hundred years, a hundred years may they live ” ). It ’ south besides common to have a disjoined celebration for your birthday called, imieniny. This is a celebration on the feast day of the canonize the person is named after !
Happy Birthday in Swedish: Grattis På Födelsedagen
“ Birthday congratulations ! ” The swedish love lionize birthdays, and often wake up the birthday boy or girl by bringing breakfast and presents in bed. They sing their own birthday sung, “ ja, ma du lev ” ( “ Yes, may you live ” ). They traditionally celebrate with cake coated in park marzipan, and presents are wrapped in the coloring material of the swedish sag : blue and amber .
Happy Birthday in Danish: Tillykke Med Fødselsdagen
“ good wishes for your birthday ! ” The Danes make a BIG conduct about birthdays. They have a huge love for their pin, and a miniature range pole by your birthday cake ( or on your birthday coat ) is a must. They besides make capital fun with the danish birthday sung. The birthday boy or daughter gets to choose which instruments the singers will pretend to play while singing ! ( Like air-guitar, except closely a entire band or orchestra. ) It ’ sulfur quite a lively consequence .
Happy Birthday in Norwegian: Gratulerer Med Dagen
“ Congratulations with the day ! ” In Norway, it ’ s a big deal to celebrate “ circle ” birthdays – 30, 40, 50, and sol on. They ’ ll sing “ Hurra for deg som fyller ditt år ” ( Hurray for you who fills the class ) and host a huge party. For children in school, the birthday child will dance in front of the class while the others sing the norwegian birthday song .
Happy Birthday in Finnish: Hyvää Syntymäpäivää
While “ Hyvää syntymäpäivää ” is most normally said, you can besides say, “ Onnea syntymäpäivänäsi, ” which is more common on birthday cards and Facebook. The Finnish besides celebrate Name Day, where a different name is assigned to each day of the year. The day that your name is assigned to, you get to celebrate !
Happy Birthday in Tagalog: Maligayang Kaarawan
“ happy wishes ! ” Because the Philippines is predominantly Catholic, birthdays often start with Mass. They have four big birthday milestones : 1st birthday, 7th, 18th ( for girls ), and 21st ( for boy ). Seventh birthdays are celebrated as the age which kids make the first steps towards adulthood. This is the age where kids are held more accountable for their actions and start basal school. A daughter ’ s 18th birthday is called her “ debut ” and is celebrated with 18 flowers, 18 candles, and 18 treasures .
Happy Birthday in Swahili: Furaha ya Kuzaliwa
“ Happiness for the day of being born. ” Birthdays aren ’ t a major thing in most Swahili-speaking countries, and many times it ’ s entirely the day of parentage that ‘s celebrated. The child ’ s parturition is cause for a bad community celebration and party. Each group has individual traditions – even arsenic simple as the baby ’ s first gear journey with his or her mother .
Happy Birthday in Hindi: जन्मदिन की शुभकामनाएं (Janmadin Kee Shubhakaamanaen)
“ good wishes for your birthday. ” In many parts of India, birthdays are celebrated with both Western and Hindu practices. A birthday normally starts with a bless at a temple, abundant prayers, and a concoction of rice and turmeric paste anointed on the brow. then the day ‘s followed with more western traditions such as the happy Birthday song and patty cut .
Happy Birthday in Bengali: শুভ জন্মদিন (Śubha Janmadina)
birthday celebrations are not identical coarse in Bangladesh. But when a baby is born, sweets are given out amongst family and friends to celebrate. They besides hold a belittled celebration for the appellative ceremony .
Happy Birthday in Tamil: பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Piṟantanāḷ Vāḻttukkaḷ)
This translates as “ Wishing success and happiness on your birthday. ” In Sri Lanka, babies celebrate their beginning birthday at 31 days old and receive a limited endow from their parents. normally it ’ s a good luck charm, one that the child keeps with them for the pillow of their life. Going to a shrine and doing good deeds to attract good karma on one ’ south birthday is besides common tradition .
Happy Birthday in Telugu: పుట్టినరోజు శుభాకాంక్షలు (Puṭṭinarōju śubhākāṅkṣalu)
In the Telugu-speaking region of Andhra Pradesh, girls will much decorate their hair for their birthday. They ‘ll weave in many flowers ( think of Rapunzel ’ south braided hair in the film Tangled ) and will receive gifts of turmeric rice from their parents .
Happy Birthday in Malayalam: ജന്മദിനാശംസകൾ (Janmadināśansakaḷ)
In the southern department of state of Kerala, India, birthdays don ’ triiodothyronine constantly follow the Gregorian calendar. many South Indians follow the Malayalam calendar alternatively. This arrangement calculates their birthdays based on astrology. thus many times, their birthdays are n’t celebrated on their day of birth, but their astrological birthday .
Happy Birthday in Arabic: عيد مولد سعيد (Eyd Mawlid Saeid)
“ Happy banquet of birth. ” Birthday celebrations are not constantly a precedence in Arabic-speaking countries. But most celebrations are like those in western culture. In Egypt, some people celebrate the parturition of the baby by dipping the child in the Nile river, a ceremony stemming from Pharaonic times. On the seventh day after give birth, they hold a celebration called subu and observe with many flowers, fruit, and rituals for good luck .
Happy Birthday in Esperanto: Feliĉan Naskiĝtagon
Although Esperanto is an artificially-constructed linguistic process, it does have one birthday tie : an Esperanto holiday, Zamenhof ‘s Birthday. Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof created Esperanto to be a universal joint second gear language and to promote internationalism. so, people who speak the language use his birthday as a dear apology to get together .
Spread Well Wishes All Over the World!
There you have it ! You ’ re immediately an expert linguist in felicitous Birthday the global over. It constantly means a lot to be wished a happy Birthday, but to hear it in your native tongue from a alien friend is sincerely special. It shows you put thought and feat into it .
so now you can in get some speaking practice with your friends worldwide. flush if it ’ second fair to say glad Birthday in early languages and spread some dear cheer .
Benny Lewis
Founder, Fluent in 3 Months
Fun-loving Irish ridicule, full-time earth trotter and international bestselling generator. Benny believes the best approach path to lyric learn is to speak from day one .
Speaks : spanish, french, german, italian, portuguese, Esperanto, Mandarin Chinese, American Sign Language, Dutch, Irish
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