Celebrating someone’s birthday is a wonderful way to show them how much they mean to you. One of the most common traditions on birthdays is to wish the person a happy birthday. In this guide, we will explore how to say “happy birthday” in many different languages, including formal and informal ways. Whether you’re planning to greet someone in their native tongue or simply want to expand your birthday wishes repertoire, this guide has got you covered!
Table of Contents
1. English
Let’s start with the language you’re reading right now – English. Saying “happy birthday” in English is relatively straightforward. The standard and most common expression is:
“Happy Birthday!”
If you want to add a personal touch or make it sound more personalized, you could also say:
“Wishing you a fantastic birthday!”
2. Spanish
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, so it’s essential to know how to wish someone a happy birthday in Spanish. In formal situations, you can say:
“Feliz cumpleaños.”
In more informal settings, you could use the following expressions:
“¡Felicitaciones en tu día!” (Congratulations on your day!)
“Que tengas un cumpleaños genial.” (May you have an awesome birthday!)
3. French
French, known as the language of love, offers beautiful ways to say happy birthday. In formal situations, you can say:
“Joyeux anniversaire.”
For a more casual tone, you might opt for:
“Bon anniversaire!” (Happy birthday!)
“Passe une merveilleuse journée d’anniversaire!” (Have a wonderful birthday!)
4. German
In German, you can express birthday wishes as follows:
“Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!”
For a less formal approach, you could use:
“Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag!” (Congratulations on your birthday!)
5. Italian
When it comes to wishing someone a happy birthday in Italian, you can use the following phrases:
“Buon compleanno!” (Happy birthday!)
“Auguri di buon compleanno!” (Best wishes for your birthday!)
6. Portuguese
Portuguese speakers have their unique ways of wishing someone a happy birthday:
“Feliz aniversário!” (Happy birthday!)
“Parabéns pelo seu aniversário!” (Congratulations on your birthday!)
7. Russian
In Russian, you can greet someone on their special day with the following phrases:
“С днем рождения!” (S dnyom rozhdeniya!)
“Поздравляю с днем рождения!” (Pozdravlyayu s dnyom rozhdeniya!)
“Счастливого дня рождения!” (Schastlivogo dnya rozhdeniya!)
8. Japanese
Japanese offers a different linguistic perspective for birthday wishes:
“お誕生日おめでとうございます!” (Otanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu!)
“誕生日おめでとう!” (Tanjoubi omedetou!)
9. Mandarin Chinese
Saying happy birthday in Mandarin Chinese can be done in various ways:
“生日快乐!” (Shēngrì kuàilè!)
“祝你生日快乐!” (Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè!)
10. Arabic
Arabic, a widely spoken language across the Middle East and North Africa, offers the following birthday greetings:
“عيد ميلاد سعيد!” (Eid milad sa’eed!)
“كل عام وأنت بخير!” (Kul ‘am wa anta bikhyr!)
This guide covers just a small fraction of the world’s languages, but it should provide you with a diverse range of birthday wishes to choose from. Remember, the most important thing is to convey your warm feelings and appreciation for the person celebrating their special day!
Conclusion
In this guide, we explored how to say “happy birthday” in various languages, covering formal and informal ways of expression. From English to Spanish, French to Mandarin Chinese, each language brings its unique flair to birthday wishes. Whether you want to surprise someone with a birthday greeting in their native tongue or simply expand your language skills, these phrases should come in handy. Remember to always consider the context and relationship when choosing whether to use a formal or informal expression. Now, go wish someone a very happy birthday – in any language you choose!
