joyeux anniversaire
/ʒwa.jø.z‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/
The English phrase "enjoy your birthday" is translated into French as joyeux anniversaire.
The most common and straightforward way to wish someone a happy birthday in French is by saying joyeux anniversaire. If you want to add an extra dose of warmth and excitement, you could say je te souhaite un super anniversaire, which means "I wish you a great birthday".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of joyeux (joyful) and anniversaire (anniversary/birthday).
Which one should you use?
Both joyeux anniversaire and bon anniversaire are common ways to say "happy birthday", but joyeux carries a slightly more enthusiastic or "joyful" connotation than bon (good).
How does it change in a sentence?
Because anniversaire is a masculine noun, the adjective joyeux remains in its masculine form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa.jø.z‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/
Did you know?
- In Quebec, you might hear the phrase bonne fête used to mean 'happy birthday'. However, in France, bonne fête is used to celebrate a person's name day, the feast of the saint they are named after.
- The word anniversaire comes from the Latin annus for 'year' and vertō for 'to turn'. This literally describes the earth turning or revolving through a full year.
- If you use the word anniversaire in a different context, it can also refer to a wedding anniversary, as the phrase remains the same.
Examples in context
- Joyeux 30e AnniversaireHappy 30th birthday
- Joyeux anniversaire, mon ami !Happy birthday, my friend!
- Je te souhaite un joyeux anniversaire.I wish you a happy birthday.
- Joyeux anniversaire à toute la famille.Happy birthday to the whole family.
Example conversation
Nathan visits Manon at her house to celebrate her birthday.
- NathanSalut Manon, joyeux anniversaire !Hi Manon, happy birthday!
- ManonMerci beaucoup Nathan, c'est très gentil.Thank you very much Nathan, that is very kind.
- NathanTu as prévu une grande fête ?Are you planning a big party?
- ManonOui, on mange un gâteau ce soir.Yes, we are eating a cake tonight.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry joyeux anniversaire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anniversaire, joyeux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
