Breithlá sona duit
to one person
In Irish, "happy birthday" is Breithlá sona duit when you speak to one person. For a group, say Breithlá sona daoibh.
Meaning: birthday greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Irish | Note |
|---|---|
| Breithlá sona duit | to one person |
| Breithlá sona daoibh | to several people |
What does it mean word for word?
Breithlá means "birthday", sona means "happy" and duit means "to you". The word daoibh is the plural "to you".
Which one should you use?
Irish is a Celtic language, but so are Scottish Gaelic and Welsh, and each has its own birthday wish. Scottish Gaelic says Co-là-breith sona dhut, which is a different phrase from the Irish one.
How do you pronounce it?
Breithlá sona duit is said close to "BREH-law SUN-uh gwit".
Did you know?
- The usual Irish way to say thank you is Go raibh maith agat, which means "may you have good".
Examples in context
- Breithlá sona duit, a Shéamuis!Happy birthday, James!
- Breithlá sona daoibh go léir!Happy birthday to you all!
- Breithlá sona duit, a Mham.Happy birthday, Mum.
Example conversation
Siobhán surprises her friend Ciarán with a cake at his birthday party in Galway.
- SiobhánBreithlá sona duit, a Chiaráin!Happy birthday, Ciarán!
- CiaránGo raibh maith agat, a Shiobháin.Thank you, Siobhán.
- SiobhánTá an cáca réidh.The cake is ready.
