verjaarsdag
/fərˈjɑːrsˌdaχ/
The Afrikaans word for birthday is verjaarsdag.
The noun verjaarsdag refers to the anniversary of a person's birth. If you want to refer to a birthday party, you can use the compound word verjaarsdagpartytjie.
Meaning: anniversary (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of verjaar, which means to turn a year older and dag, meaning day, literally translating to 'year-day'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of verjaarsdag is verjaarsdae.
How do you pronounce it?
/fərˈjɑːrsˌdaχ/
When do people say it?
When someone has a birthday, the standard way to say 'Happy Birthday!' is Baie geluk met jou verjaarsdag!
Did you know?
- While verjaarsdag means 'birthday', the root verb verjaar can also be used in legal contexts to describe a claim or a debt that has 'expired' due to a statute of limitations.
- In South Africa, it is common to celebrate a verjaarsdag with a 'boerewors' braai, where the birthday meal is cooked over an open wood fire rather than in a kitchen.
- The phrase Baie geluk in the birthday greeting literally means 'much luck' or 'much happiness', which is a different conceptual approach than the English 'congratulations'.
Examples in context
- Hy het my verjaarsdag vergeet.He forgot my birthday.This sentence shows how to use verjaarsdag when talking about someone forgetting a date.Tatoeba #2773801 by catcher, translation #1934773 by Spamster
- Ek gaan 'n koek vir Mary se verjaarsdag maak.I'm going to make a cake for Mary's birthday.This example demonstrates using verjaarsdag when mentioning a cake for an occasion.Tatoeba #1758356 by wwkudu, translation #32018 by Zifre
- Baie verjaarsdagkaartjies sal binnekort arriveer.A lot of birthday cards will arrive soon.This sentence shows the use of verjaarsdag in the context of receiving cards.Tatoeba #1423633 by IlanaSA, translation #41047 by CK
- Gelukkige verjaardag! Mag die dag gevul word met vreugde en geluk.Happy birthday! May your day be filled with joy and happiness.
- Lekker verjaarsdag! Mag jy die dag geniet en baie liefde ontvang.Happy birthday! May you enjoy the day and receive lots of love.
- Gelukkige verjaardag, Maria! Mag al jou drome waar word op hierdie spesiale dag.Happy birthday, Maria! May all your dreams come true on this special day.
- Verjaarsdagwense vir jou, Johan! Mag jy geseënd wees met goeie gesondheid en voorspoed op jou spesiale dag.Birthday wishes to you, Johan! May you be blessed with good health and prosperity on your special day.
Example conversation
Andries and Liezel are discussing a party.
- AndriesWanneer is jou verjaarsdag?When is your birthday?
- LiezelMy verjaarsdag is volgende week.My birthday is next week.
- AndriesEk wil graag 'n partytjie hou.I would like to hold a party.
- LiezelDit is baie gaaf van jou, Andries.That is very kind of you, Andries.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry verjaarsdag, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
