생일 축하해, 민수야
saengil chukahae, minsu-yafriends, casual
To wish a friend happy birthday by name in Korean, say 생일 축하해, 민수야 (saengil chukahae, minsu-ya). With an adult you are less close to, use 생일 축하합니다 followed by the name and 씨. It is also called 생일 축하합니다, 지은 씨 (saengil chukahamnida, jieun ssi) and 생신 축하드립니다 (saengsin chukadeurimnida).
Meaning: birthday greeting addressed to a named person (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 생일 축하해, 민수야 | saengil chukahae, minsu-ya | friends, casual |
| 생일 축하합니다, 지은 씨 | saengil chukahamnida, jieun ssi | polite, adults |
| 생신 축하드립니다 | saengsin chukadeurimnida | honorific, elders |
The name goes at the end for friends and younger people. For a coworker or acquaintance the name takes 씨 (ssi), as in 지은 씨 (jieun ssi), and the verb ends in the formal -합니다.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a grandparent or other elder, Korean uses the special word 생신 (saengsin) instead of 생일 (saengil) and the humble verb 드립니다 (deurimnida): 생신 축하드립니다 (saengsin chukadeurimnida).
How does it change in a sentence?
A friendly call to someone younger or close adds 야 after a name ending in a vowel and 아 after a name ending in a consonant. So 지우 becomes 지우야 (jiu-ya) and 서현 becomes 서현아 (seohyeon-a).
When do people say it?
Koreans traditionally eat seaweed soup, 미역국 (miyeokguk), on their birthday.
Did you know?
- Koreans sing the Happy Birthday tune with the words 생일 축하합니다, and the last line inserts the name: 사랑하는 민수의 생일 축하합니다 (saranghaneun minsuui saengil chukahamnida).
Examples in context
- 생일 축하해, 민수야!saengil chukahae, minsu-ya!Happy birthday, Minsu!
- 서현아, 생일 축하해!seohyeon-a, saengil chukahae!Happy birthday, Seohyeon!
- 생일 축하합니다, 지은 씨!saengil chukahamnida, jieun ssi!Happy birthday, Jieun!
Example conversation
Jiwoo gives a birthday card to her friend Minsu at school.
- Jiwoo민수야, 생일 축하해!minsu-ya, saengil chukahae!Minsu, happy birthday!
- Minsu고마워, 지우야.gomawo, jiu-ya.Thanks, Jiwoo.
- Jiwoo이거 선물이야.igeo seonmuriya.This is a present.
- Minsu와, 정말 고마워!wa, jeongmal gomawo!Wow, thank you so much!
