What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 기념일, meaning anniversary or commemoration day and 축하해요, meaning congratulate or celebrate.
Which one should you use?
The different forms vary based on the level of formality required. 기념일 축하해! is the informal version, while 기념일 축하드립니다. and 기념일 축하합니다 are formal versions. If you are specifically celebrating a wedding, you can use 결혼 기념일을 축하드립니다. or 결혼 기념일 축하해!
How does it change in a sentence?
You can adjust the politeness of the phrase by changing the suffix. Dropping the 요 at the end to say 기념일 축하해 makes the phrase informal. Using the -합니다 ending instead of -해요 to say 기념일 축하합니다 makes the phrase more formal and polite.
How do you pronounce it?
ginyeomil chukhahaeyo
When do people say it?
When sending anniversary wishes, it is natural to combine the greeting with a polite inquiry about the person's well-being. Formally, you might say 잘 지내고 계신가요? 기념일을 축하드립니다, while informally you can say 잘 지내? 기념일 축하해!
Did you know?
- When celebrating a romantic 'anniversary' in Korea, couples often celebrate the '100th day' instead of or in addition to a yearly date.
- Couples often wear matching clothes, known as 커플룩, when celebrating a 기념일 to visually signal their relationship status.
- The word 기념일 is composed of Hanja characters that literally translate to 'remembering day'.
Examples in context
- 결혼 기념일 축하해요.gyeolhon ginyeomil chukha-haeyo.Happy wedding anniversary.
Example conversation
A couple is celebrating their first anniversary at a restaurant.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우 씨, 우리 1주년 기념일 축하해요!hyeonu ssi, uri il-junyeon ginyeomil chukha-haeyo!Hyunwoo, happy 1st anniversary to us!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo서연 씨도 축하해요. 벌써 1년이네요.seoyeon ssi-do chukha-haeyo. beolsseo il-nyeoni-neyo.Happy anniversary to you too, Seoyeon. It's already been a year.
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말 시간이 빨라요.jeongmal sigani ppallayo.Time really flies.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo맛있는 거 많이 먹어요.masinneun geo mani meogeoyo.Let's eat lots of delicious food.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 기념일, CC BY-SA 4.0.
