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 |
You can express birthday wishes using several different approaches. You might wish someone a pleasant day using fijne verjaardag, or you might congratulate them on the occasion using gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag. In many social situations, Dutch speakers will simply say Gefeliciteerd! instead of the full phrase to wish someone a happy birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase fijne verjaardag literally translates to fine birthday, while gelukkige verjaardag literally translates to happy birthday.
Which one should you use?
The phrases differ in their focus: fijne verjaardag focuses on wishing someone a pleasant day, whereas gefeliciteerd focuses on congratulating them on the occasion.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Flanders, people might say Proficiat met je verjaardag! or Gelukkige verjaardag! instead of Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag uses the preposition met (with) to connect the congratulation to the event.
Did you know?
- In the Netherlands, it is common to congratulate not only the birthday person but also their parents, siblings and partner with gefeliciteerd.
- In a traditional Dutch birthday gathering, the birthday person often does not host the party but is instead treated as a guest of honor by others.
- The word verjaardag comes from the verb verjaren, which in a legal context can mean that a claim or a crime has expired due to the statute of limitations.
Examples in context
- Fijne verjaardag, mevrouw Aiba!Happy birthday, Miss Aiba!This sentence shows how to address someone with fijne verjaardag.Tatoeba #7682380 by MarijnKp, translation #328541 by fcbond
- Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag!Happy birthday to you!This sentence uses the full phrase 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 sentence shows how to use fijne verjaardag within a full sentence.Tatoeba #9513511 by Nylez, translation #897532 by CM
- Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag, [Name]!Congratulations with your birthday, [Name]!
- Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! Ik hoop dat je dag gevuld is met liefde en geluk!Congratulations with your birthday! I hope your day is filled with love and happiness!
- Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag, lieve [Name]!Congratulations with your birthday, dear [Name]!
- Van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag, beste Laura! Ik hoop dat je een geweldige dag hebt en omringd bent door liefde en geluk!Heartfelt congratulations with your birthday, dear Laura! I hope you have a fantastic day surrounded by love and happiness!
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Levi are meeting at a cafe for his birthday.
- JuliaHoi Levi, fijne verjaardag!Hi Levi, happy birthday!
- LeviDank je wel, Julia.Thank you, Julia.
- JuliaHeb je een leuke dag?Are you having a nice day?
- LeviJa, het is heel gezellig.Yes, it is very cozy.
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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries met, verjaardag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
