Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fijne verjaardag | ||
| gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag | /ɣəˈfeːlisiˌteːrt mɛt jə vərˈjaːrˌdɑx/ (word by word) | |
| gelukkige verjaardag | /ɣəˈlʏkəɣə vərˈjaːrdɑx/ | standard |
These phrases are used to offer good wishes for someone's birthday. While you can use various forms, it is very common in Dutch to simply say Gefeliciteerd! as a standalone way to say Happy Birthday! You might also see the phrase Een fijne verjaardag gewenst! used to mean "Wishing you a great birthday!"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase fijne verjaardag literally translates to "fine birthday", while gelukkige verjaardag means "happy birthday". The phrase gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag literally translates to "congratulated with your birthday".
Which one should you use?
The term Gefeliciteerd is the most common way to wish someone a happy birthday in Dutch. In contrast, fijne verjaardag focuses more on wishing the person a pleasant day.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag polite or formal, you change the informal je to the formal uw, resulting in gefeliciteerd met uw verjaardag.
When do people say it?
In Dutch culture, it is common to congratulate others on their birthday by shaking hands or giving them a kiss on the cheek.
Did you know?
- In the Netherlands, it is a common social custom to congratulate not only the birthday person but also their parents, partner and children.
- When celebrating a birthday in a Dutch office, it is traditionally expected that the person whose birthday it is brings the cake and treats for their colleagues.
- While gefeliciteerd is the standard, some Dutch speakers use Hieperdepiep hoera! as a rhythmic cheer during the celebration.
Examples in context
- Fijne verjaardag, mevrouw Aiba!Happy birthday, Miss Aiba!This example shows how to use fijne verjaardag when addressing someone politely.Tatoeba #7682380 by MarijnKp, translation #328541 by fcbond
- Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag!Happy birthday to you!This example shows the use of gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag to wish someone a happy birthday.Tatoeba #379392 by Dorenda, translation #64233 by shekitten
- Ik wens je een fijne verjaardag.I wish you a happy birthday.This example demonstrates how to use fijne verjaardag within a complete sentence expressing a wish.Tatoeba #9513511 by Nylez, translation #897532 by CM
- Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag, Anna!Congratulations on your birthday, Anna!
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lisa is greeting Noah at a party.
- LisaFijne verjaardag, Noah!Happy birthday, Noah!
- NoahDank je wel, Lisa!Thank you very much, Lisa!
- LisaHeb je een leuke dag?Are you having a nice day?
- NoahJa, het is echt geweldig.Yes, it is really great.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries gelukkige verjaardag, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (gefeliciteerd, met, je, verjaardag) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
