Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| alles Gute zum Geburtstag | /ˈʔaləs ˈɡuːtə tsʊm ɡəˈbuːɐ̯tstaːk/ | |
| herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag | ||
| viel Glück zum Geburtstag | informal |
These phrases are used to offer good wishes for a birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase alles Gute zum Geburtstag literally translates to all the best for the birthday.
Which one should you use?
herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag is more formal and emphasizes 'congratulations' compared to the more common alles Gute zum Geburtstag.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal settings, you might use viel Glück zum Geburtstag or even the English phrase "Happy Birthday!", which is used informally by many Germans, especially younger generations. Another informal option is Alles Liebe zum Geburtstag!, which means "All the love on your birthday!" For a formal way to wish someone well, you can say Ich wünsche Ihnen alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
How does it change in a sentence?
In these birthday wishes, the word zum is a contraction of zu (to/for) and dem (the). It is used to indicate the occasion for which the wishes are being given.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔaləs ˈɡuːtə tsʊm ɡəˈbuːɐ̯tstaːk/
When do people say it?
In German culture, it is considered bad luck to wish someone a happy birthday before their actual birth date.
Did you know?
- In the word Glückwunsch, the component Glück is thought to have been borrowed from Old Dutch in the 12th century as part of Flemish knight culture.
- The phrase alles Gute is so versatile that it is used not only for birthdays but also as a general way to say 'all the best' when someone is leaving a job or moving.
- The word Glück in the phrase herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag is a cognate of the English word 'luck', though in German it can also mean 'happiness'.
Examples in context
- Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Rumänien!Happy Birthday, Romania!This example uses alles Gute zum Geburtstag to wish Romania a happy birthday.Tatoeba #3668435 by al_ex_an_der, translation #3668483 by danepo
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag, Tom!Happy birthday, Tom!This example uses herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag to wish Tom a happy birthday.Tatoeba #2338004 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2337263 by Hybrid
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag, Opa!Happy birthday, Grandpa.This example uses herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag to wish Grandpa a happy birthday.Tatoeba #6705837 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2650908 by meerkat
- Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, meine liebe Schwester! Ich hoffe, dein Tag ist so wundervoll wie du!Happy Birthday, my dear sister! I hope your day is as wonderful as you are!
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura gives Julian a wrapped present.
- LauraAlles Gute zum Geburtstag, Julian!Happy birthday, Julian!
- JulianVielen Dank, Laura!Thank you very much, Laura!
- LauraHier ist ein kleines Geschenk für dich.Here is a small gift for you.
- JulianDas ist wirklich sehr nett von dir.That is really very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries alles Gute zum Geburtstag, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Geburtstag, Glück, Glückwunsch, alles, alles Gute zum Geburtstag, viel, zum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
