Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 생일 축하해요 | saeng'il chukha-haeyo | [sʰɛŋiɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦɛjo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰe̞ŋiɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
informal, polite |
| 생신 축하드립니다 | saengsin chukha-deurimnida | formal | |
| 생일 축하합니다 | saeng'il chukha-hamnida | formal | |
| 생일 축하해 | saeng'il chukha-hae | informal |
All these phrases are used to offer good wishes for someone's birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase for birthday, 생일, is composed of the characters for 'birth' (생) and 'day' (일). The word for congratulations, 축하, is the noun used in these greetings.
Which one should you use?
The term 생신 is an honorific form of 생일 used specifically when addressing elders or people of much higher social status. For the greeting itself, 생신 축하드립니다 is the most formal version. 생일 축하합니다 is also a common formal way to say Happy Birthday. 생일 축하해요 is a standard polite way to wish someone a happy birthday in everyday social situations, and 생일 축하해 is the standard informal expression. Additionally, 생축 is an abbreviation of 생일 축하 used among close friends or in casual settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
생신 축하드립니다 is the most formal and respectful way to wish an elder, such as a grandparent or boss, a happy birthday. 생일 축하해요 is a slightly more polite and respectful way of saying Happy Birthday in informal settings. 생일 축하해 is an informal form used only with close friends, siblings or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
saeng'il chukha-haeyo
Did you know?
- Historically, all Koreans turned one year old the moment they were born, meaning a newborn was already one year old on their first day of life.
- Traditionally, Koreans celebrated birthdays by eating 미역국, a seaweed soup that is the same dish mothers eat after giving birth.
- In Korea, you might celebrate a 'first birthday' with more importance than any other. The 돌 (dol) celebration for a baby's first year involves special rituals to predict the child's future success.
Examples in context
- 생일 축하해 Muiriel!Happy birthday, Muiriel!This sentence shows how to use the informal form 생일 축하해 to wish someone a happy birthday.Tatoeba #5355 by cueyayotl, translation #355041 by human600
- John-ssi, 생일 축하합니다Happy Birthday, John.
- 생일 축하해요, 민준 씨.saeng-il chuk-ha-hae-yo, Min-jun ssi.Happy birthday, Min-jun.
Example conversation
Ji-eun greets Min-jun at a cafe on his birthday.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 생일 축하해요!Min-jun ssi, saeng-il chuk-ha-hae-yo!Min-jun, happy birthday!
- 민준 Min-jun고마워요, 지은 씨.go-ma-wo-yo, Ji-eun ssi.Thank you, Ji-eun.
- 지은 Ji-eun오늘 맛있는 거 많이 먹어요.o-neul mas-it-neun geo man-i meok-eo-yo.Eat lots of delicious food today.
- 민준 Min-jun네, 그럴게요.ne, geu-reol-ge-yo.Yes, I will.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries 생일 축하해요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
