urodziny
/u.rɔˈd͡ʑi.nɘ/plural
The Polish word for birthday is urodziny.
The word urodziny refers to the anniversary of one's birth. While urodziny is the noun used to name the day, if you want to say "Happy Birthday!", the standard phrase used is wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji urodzin.
Meaning: anniversary (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Because it is plural, it must always be used with a plural verb (for example, urodziny są, meaning "birthdays are"). However, the genitive singular form urodzin is used in certain grammatical constructions, such as in the phrase na urodzinach, which means "at a birthday party".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /u.rɔˈdʑi.nɘ/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because English speakers often view a birthday as a single event, they sometimes mistakenly use a singular verb with urodziny. In Polish, you must always use a plural verb.
Did you know?
- In Poland, it is traditionally considered bad luck to celebrate urodziny or wish someone a happy birthday before the actual date arrives.
- In some traditional Polish regions, it is a custom for the birthday person to treat their guests to cake and sweets during urodziny.
- The root rod- also appears in the word rodzina, meaning 'family'.
Examples in context
- To nie moje urodziny.It's not my birthday.This sentence shows how to negate the phrase using urodziny.Tatoeba #4642255 by jeedrek, translation #2713639 by CK
- Jutro są jej urodziny.Tomorrow is her birthday.This sentence is useful for stating when someone's urodziny occurs.Tatoeba #529670 by orzechowski, translation #323314 by CK
- Dziś są twoje urodziny.Today is your birthday.This sentence shows how to state that today is someone's urodziny.Tatoeba #6321719 by arie, translation #464264 by lukaszpp
- Dzisiaj są moje urodziny!Today is my birthday!
- Szczęśliwych urodzin! Wszystkiego najlepszego!Happy Birthday! All the best!
- 58 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Tomasz are talking about a party plan.
- KatarzynaKiedy są twoje urodziny?When is your birthday?
- TomaszMoje urodziny są w sobotę.My birthday is on Saturday.
- KatarzynaZrobimy imprezę na twoje urodziny?Shall we throw a party for your birthday?
- TomaszTak, to świetny pomysł!Yes, that is a great idea!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “birthday” translations and entries urodziny, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
