anniversaire
/a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/masculine
The French word for birthday is anniversaire. Wiktionary also lists fête.
Meaning: anniversary (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| anniversaire | /a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/ | masculine |
| fête | /fɛt/ (France) /fɛːt/ |
Canada, feminine |
Anniversaire is used to refer to the anniversary of any event, such as a wedding anniversary, as well as a birthday. To wish someone a happy birthday, the standard phrase is Bon anniversaire.
Which one should you use?
In standard French, anniversaire refers to any anniversary, such as a wedding anniversary, not just a birthday.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec and other parts of Canada, fête is commonly used to mean 'birthday'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Since anniversaire is a masculine noun, you must use the masculine possessive adjective mon (as in mon anniversaire) rather than the feminine ma.
How do you pronounce it?
/a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/
Did you know?
- In France, your fête is not your birthday but the feast day of the saint you are named after. If you tell a Parisian it is your fête, they will assume you are celebrating your name day.
- The word anniversaire literally means 'turning of the year' because it comes from the Latin verb vertō, meaning 'to turn'.
- The word fête shares its ancient roots with the English word 'feast', both tracing back to the idea of a religious or formal celebration.
Examples in context
- Bon anniversaire, Tom !Happy birthday, Tom!This is useful for wishing Tom a happy birthday using anniversaire.Tatoeba #8648902 by Micsmithel, translation #2337263 by Hybrid
- C'est mon anniversaire !It's my birthday!This is useful for stating that it is my birthday using anniversaire.Tatoeba #8640068 by Julien_PDC, translation #8912385 by DemonicSatori
- Bon anniversaire, Shishir !Happy birthday, Shishir!This is useful for wishing Shishir a happy birthday using anniversaire.Tatoeba #1111516 by sacredceltic, translation #1110954 by Ricardo14
- Joyeux anniversaire, mon ami!Happy Birthday, my friend!
- 454 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are talking about a party.
- GabrielC'est quand ton anniversaire, Emma ?When is your birthday, Emma?
- EmmaMon anniversaire est le 12 mai.My birthday is May 12th.
- GabrielOn doit organiser un grand anniversaire !We should organize a big birthday party!
- EmmaMerci, Gabriel, c'est très gentil.Thank you, Gabriel, that is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “birthday” translations and entries anniversaire, fête, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anniversaire, fête, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
