How to Say "Congratulations" in Danish

tillykke

[tˢeˈløɡ̊ə]

Congratulations in Danish is tillykke.

The word tillykke is used both as a standalone exclamation and as a noun in more complex sentences.

Meaning: expressing approbation (intj)

How does it change in a sentence?

To express congratulations on a specific event or achievement, such as a birthday or a new job, use the phrase tillykke med.

Danes use tillykke for birthdays, but you will also see tillykke med fødselsdagen written on cards. While 'congratulations' sounds odd for a birthday in English, it is the standard way to mark the occasion in Danish.
The word tillykke is built from the components 'til' meaning 'to' and 'lykke' meaning 'happiness' or 'luck'.
While tillykke is used for personal milestones, Danes often use gratulerer in more formal contexts. This word is a direct loan from the Latin 'gratulari' and shares a root with the English word 'congratulate'.

Tillykke!
Congratulations!
This example shows how to use tillykke as a simple exclamation.
Tatoeba #4534012 by danepo, translation #1437 by CK
Tillykke med dit nye arbejde.
Congratulations on your new job.
This example demonstrates the use of tillykke with the preposition 'med' to congratulate someone on an achievement.
Tatoeba #4030586 by Bergthor, translation #3264747 by CK
Hjertelig tillykke med din forfremmelse! Du har virkelig fortjent det.
Heartfelt congratulations on your promotion! You truly deserve it.
Stort tillykke med din fødselsdag! Jeg håber, du får en fantastisk dag.
Big congratulations on your birthday! I hope you have an amazing day.

Emma and Noah are talking at a birthday party.

Sources

Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations and entries tillykke, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries tillykke, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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