herzlichen Glückwunsch
/ˌhɛʁt͡slɪçn̩ ˈɡlʏkvʊnʃ/
The English phrase "congratulations" is translated into German as herzlichen Glückwunsch.
You use this phrase to express approbation. While herzlichen Glückwunsch is the standard polite form, you can simply say Glückwunsch! as a shorter, more casual way to say "Congrats!" among friends.
Meaning: expressing approbation (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "heartfelt congratulations", where herzlichen means "heartfelt" and Glückwunsch means "congratulation".
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Glückwunsch is masculine, which is why the adjective herzlich takes the -en ending in the phrase herzlichen Glückwunsch (accusative case). When congratulating someone on a specific event, you use the prepositional phrase zum (a contraction of zu dem) followed by the event, such as Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag (Congratulations on your birthday).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌhɛʁtslɪçn̩ ˈɡlʏkvʊnʃ/
Did you know?
- In some parts of Germany, it is considered bad luck to congratulate someone on a birthday before the actual day has arrived.
- While Glückwunsch means 'congratulations', the word Glück can mean both 'luck' and 'happiness' depending on the context.
- The word Glückwunsch is a compound of Glück, meaning 'luck' and Wunsch, meaning 'wish'.
Examples in context
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Haus!Congratulations on your new home!This sentence is useful for congratulating someone on a new home using herzlichen Glückwunsch.Tatoeba #12407407 by Waldelfe, translation #10266916 by AlanF_US
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Sie haben gewonnen!Congratulations, you won!This sentence shows how to use herzlichen Glückwunsch when someone has won.Tatoeba #8804067 by wolfgangth, translation #8311738 by Ooneykcall
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Sie haben gewonnen.Congratulations! You won.This sentence shows a shorter way to use herzlichen Glückwunsch as an exclamation.Tatoeba #8804068 by wolfgangth, translation #8320980 by CK
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch zur Beförderung! Ich bin sicher, du wirst in deiner neuen Position großartig sein.Congratulations on your promotion! I'm sure you'll do great in your new role.
- Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! Ich hoffe, du hast einen wundervollen Tag und erlebst ein weiteres aufregendes Jahr.Happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day and experience another exciting year.
- Gratuliere zum Abschluss! Du hast hart dafür gearbeitet und es verdient, dass dieser Tag gefeiert wird.Congratulations on your graduation! You've worked hard and deserve to celebrate this day.
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch zur Hochzeit! Ich wünsche euch beiden eine glückliche und liebevolle Ehe.Congratulations on your wedding! I wish you both a happy and loving marriage.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah meets Maximilian at a cafe to celebrate his promotion.
- SarahHerzlichen Glückwunsch zur Beförderung, Maximilian!Heartfelt congratulations on the promotion, Maximilian!
- MaximilianVielen Dank, Sarah! Ich freue mich sehr.Thank you very much, Sarah! I am very happy.
- SarahDu hast es wirklich verdient.You really deserved it.
- MaximilianDas ist sehr lieb von dir.That is very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations and entries herzlichen Glückwunsch, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Glückwunsch, herzlichen Glückwunsch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
