Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ | kullu ʕāmin wa-ʔantum bi-ḵayrin |
| عِيد مِيلَاد سَعِيد | ʕīd mīlād saʕīd |
| سَنَة حُلْوَة | sana ḥulwa |
Arabic offers different phrases for birthday wishes. You can use عِيد مِيلَاد سَعِيد to directly translate "Happy Birthday" or أتمنى لك عيد ميلاد سعيد to say "Wishing you a happy birthday". For a more traditional approach, كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ is a versatile greeting that can be used for birthdays, Eid holidays or any other annual recurring celebration.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ literally translates to "Every year and you are well".
Which one should you use?
كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ is a traditional, formal greeting used for many annual occasions. In contrast, عِيد مِيلَاد سَعِيد is a direct translation of "Happy Birthday".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The colloquial phrase سَنَة حُلْوَة, which means "Sweet year", is an informal way to wish someone a happy birthday and is often used in songs or among friends. The phrase كل سنة وأنت سالم is also an informal way to say "Happy Birthday".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, you can say كل سنة وأنت طيب to mean "Happy Birthday". In Gulf Arabic, the phrase نهنيك على عيد ميلادك is used to mean "We congratulate you on your birthday".
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the traditional greeting كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ, the pronoun changes depending on who you are addressing. Use كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتَ بِخَيْرٍ to address a single male and كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتِ بِخَيْرٍ to address a single female.
How do you pronounce it?
kullu ʕāmin wa-ʔantum bi-ḵayrin
When do people say it?
When someone says كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ, a common response is وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ (and you are well). You may also hear the phrase عقبال 100 سنة, which means "May you live to be 100 years old".
Did you know?
- The common birthday wish عقبال 100 سنة uses the word عقبال, which is used specifically for wishing that a positive event happens to someone else in the future.
- In Gulf Arabic, the phrase نهنيك على عيد ميلادك uses the verb 'congratulate'. This frames the birthday as an achievement or a milestone to be commended.
- The traditional greeting كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ is phrased as a statement of fact rather than a wish. It describes a continuing state of well-being across the years.
Examples in context
- كل عام وأنت بخير! أتمنى لك عيد ميلاد سعيد.Every year and you're doing well! Wishing you a happy birthday.
- كل سنة وأنت سالم! عقبال 100 سنة.Happy Birthday! May you live to be 100 years old.
- نهنيك على عيد ميلادك!We congratulate you on your birthday.
- كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ يا عائلتي العزيزة.kullu ‘āmin wa antum bikhayrin yā ‘ā’ilatī al-‘azīza.Happy birthday (wishes for your prosperity) to my dear family.
- أقول لكم كُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ.aqūlu lakum kullu ‘āmin wa antum bikhayrin.I wish you all a happy birthday/year.
Example conversation
Mariam visits Ziad on his birthday.
- مريم Maryamكُلُّ عَامٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْرٍ يا زياد!kullu ‘āmin wa antum bikhayrin yā Ziyād!Happy birthday, Ziad!
- زياد Ziadشُكْراً جَزِيلاً يا مريم.shukran jazīlan yā Maryam.Thank you very much, Mariam.
- مريم Maryamهَلْ أَعْجَبَتْكَ الْهَدِيَّةُ؟hal a‘jabatka al-hadiyya?Did you like the gift?
- زياد Ziadنَعَمْ، إنَّهَا جَمِيلَةٌ جِدّاً.na‘am, innahā jamīlatun jiddan.Yes, it is very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
