Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| joyeux anniversaire | /ʒwa.jø.z‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/ | |
| bon anniversaire | /bɔ.n‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/ | |
| bonne fête | /bɔn fɛt/ (France) /bɔn fɛːt/ (Quebec) |
Canada |
These phrases are used to express good wishes for someone's birthday. If you want to use a verb to wish someone a happy birthday, you can use the phrase souhaiter un joyeux anniversaire.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase joyeux anniversaire literally translates to 'joyful anniversary'.
Which one should you use?
Bon anniversaire is a very common and slightly more casual way to say happy birthday. Joyeux anniversaire is slightly more formal or emphatic than bon anniversaire.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec and other parts of Canada, bonne fête is commonly used to mean happy birthday.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa.jø.z‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/ (6 syllables)
When do people say it?
When celebrating a birthday, you might also say Que votre journée soit remplie de bonheur pour votre anniversaire (May your day be filled with happiness for your birthday) to express warm wishes.
Did you know?
- In France, it is common to celebrate a 'name day' with a small gift or card, almost as a second birthday throughout the year.
- In France, saying bonne fête to someone usually refers to their 'name day', the feast day of the saint they are named after, rather than their birthday.
- The word anniversaire is built from the Latin root meaning 'to turn', literally describing the way the year 'turns' back to the same date.
Examples in context
- Bon anniversaire, Tom !Happy birthday, Tom!This example shows how to use bon anniversaire to wish Tom a happy birthday.Tatoeba #8648902 by Micsmithel, translation #2337263 by Hybrid
- Bon anniversaire, Shishir !Happy birthday, Shishir!This example shows how to use bon anniversaire to wish Shishir a happy birthday.Tatoeba #1111516 by sacredceltic, translation #1110954 by Ricardo14
- Joyeux anniversaire Muiriel !Happy birthday, Muiriel!This example shows how to use joyeux anniversaire to wish Muiriel a happy birthday.Tatoeba #3096 by sysko, translation #355041 by human600
- 36 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma surprises Nathan with a small cake.
- EmmaJoyeux anniversaire, Nathan !Happy birthday, Nathan!
- NathanMerci beaucoup, Emma !Thank you so much, Emma!
- EmmaTu aimes le gâteau ?Do you like the cake?
- NathanOui, il est délicieux.Yes, it is delicious.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries joyeux anniversaire, bon anniversaire, bonne fête, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anniversaire, bon, fête, joyeux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
