Jeramon ilo rainin am
The English phrase "happy birthday" is expressed in Marshallese as Jeramon ilo rainin am.
Jeramon ilo rainin am is used to offer good wishes to someone celebrating their birthday.
Meaning: good wishes for a birthday (intj)
Did you know?
- Marshallese is an Austronesian language, meaning the root concepts of time and celebration are distantly related to languages spoken in Hawaii and Madagascar.
- In Marshallese culture, celebrating a 'rainin' or birthday often involves communal sharing of food, as individual milestones are viewed as events that connect a person to their wider kinship group.
- The word ilo in Jeramon ilo rainin am is a homograph that differs in pronunciation depending on whether the speaker uses the Ratak or Rālik dialect.
Examples in context
- Jeramon ilo rainin am.Happy birthday to you.
- Jeramon ilo rainin am, mwoj.Happy birthday, dear.
Example conversation
Sarah gives David a gift for his birthday.
- SarahJeramon ilo rainin am, David!Happy birthday, David!
- DavidKajajijin, Sarah!Thank you, Sarah!
- SarahIlo rainin am, iakwe!On your birthday, love!
- DavidKajajijin im m̧ajān!Thank you very much!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ilo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
