doğum günü
/doːum ɟyny/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'birthday' is translated into Turkish as doğum günü.
To wish someone a happy birthday, the standard phrase is Doğum günün kutlu olsun!, which translates literally to 'May your birthday be auspicious/celebrated!'
Meaning: anniversary (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the suffix -ün to 'doğum günü' makes it doğum günün, which means 'your birthday' in the informal singular form. Adding the suffix -ünüz makes the phrase doğum gününüz in the formal or plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /doːum ɟyny/. The sound /u/ is like the [oo] in c[oo]l, /m/ is like the [m] in [m]uch, /ɟ/ is like the [g] in ar[g]ue and /n/ is like the [n] in [n]ot.
When do people say it?
When someone wishes you a happy birthday using Doğum günün kutlu olsun!, a common response is Teşekkür ederim (Thank you).
Did you know?
- In Turkey, it is common to celebrate a 'name day' or 'birthday' by the person celebrating treating their friends and colleagues to cake or food, rather than receiving treats from others.
- When celebrating a birthday in Turkey, it is common to sing 'İyi ki doğdun', which means 'It is good that you were born', rather than a literal translation of 'Happy Birthday'.
- In Turkish, the word doğum is not just a noun but comes from the verb doğmak, which also means 'to rise' when describing the sun or the moon.
Examples in context
- Doğum günün ne zaman?When is your birthday?This sentence is useful for asking when someone's doğum günü is.Tatoeba #788397 by duran, translation #16997 by CK
- Doğum günün bugün mü?Is it your birthday today?This sentence is useful for asking if today is someone's doğum günü.Tatoeba #4787074 by deyta, translation #2644536 by CK
- Doğum günüm 10 Kasım.My birthday is November 10th.This sentence is useful for stating the date of one's own doğum günü.Tatoeba #5315105 by deyta, translation #456405 by lukaszpp
- Doğum gününüz kutlu olsun! Yeni yaşınızda sağlık, mutluluk ve başarılar dilerim.Happy birthday! I wish you health, happiness, and success in your new age.
- Doğum günün kutlu olsun! Umarım tüm dileklerin gerçekleşir ve harika bir yıl geçirirsin.Happy birthday! I hope all your wishes come true and you have a wonderful year.
- 827 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Merve and Mehmet are talking on the phone.
- MerveDoğum günün kutlu olsun, Mehmet!Happy birthday, Mehmet!
- MehmetÇok teşekkür ederim, Merve.Thank you very much, Merve.
- MerveDoğum günü partin için bir planın var mı?Do you have a plan for your birthday party?
- MehmetHenüz bir şey düşünmedim.I haven't thought of anything yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “birthday” translations and entries doğum günü, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
