Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| maligayang kaarawan | /maliˌɡajaŋ kaʔaɾaˈwan/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| maligayang bati | /maliˌɡajaŋ ˈbatiʔ/ (Standard Tagalog) |
These phrases are used to offer good wishes for someone's birthday. While these Tagalog expressions are available, the English phrase "Happy birthday" is also commonly used and understood in the Philippines.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase maligayang kaarawan is composed of maligaya (happy) and kaarawan (birthday). The phrase maligayang bati literally means "happy greetings."
Which one should you use?
Maligayang kaarawan is a more literal way to express the sentiment, whereas maligayang bati is a common and slightly more idiomatic way to express birthday wishes.
How do you pronounce it?
/maliˌɡajaŋ kaʔaɾaˈwan/
When do people say it?
Maligayang bati is the standard phrase used when singing the birthday song in Tagalog. You may also use Maligayang kaarawan sa iyo! to say happy birthday to someone.
Did you know?
- The word bati can also refer to a 'whisk' or 'beating' in cooking, borrowed from the Spanish word batir.
- In the Philippines, it is common to celebrate a birthday with a feast called a 'handaan', where the birthday celebrant often hosts the meal for guests.
- The word bati can also mean 'to reconcile' or 'make up' after a fight, which is a different use than the greeting in maligayang bati.
Examples in context
- Maligayang bati, Muiriel!Happy birthday, Muiriel!This sentence shows how to use maligayang bati to greet someone.Tatoeba #5213841 by kanlaon, translation #355041 by human600
- Maligayang kaarawan, Tom.Happy birthday, Tom.This sentence shows a way to use maligayang kaarawan for a greeting.Tatoeba #8653896 by England, translation #6662978 by CK
- Maligayang kaarawan sa asawa mo!Happy birthday to your wife!This sentence demonstrates using maligayang kaarawan to wish someone a happy birthday.Tatoeba #2281063 by ichivivi20, translation #2182053 by Eldad
- Maligayang kaarawan, Maria! Sana'y maging masaya ang iyong araw.Happy birthday, Maria! May your day be joyful.
- Maligayang bati sa iyong kaarawan, Kuya! Lubos kong pinahahalagahan ang pagiging kapatid mo.Best wishes on your birthday, Kuya! I greatly value being your sibling.
- Maligayang kaarawan sayo, James! Maraming salamat sa lahat ng iyong pagsisikap at dedikasyon sa trabaho.Happy birthday to you, James! Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to work.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mark is greeting Christina during her birthday lunch.
- MarkMaligayang kaarawan sa iyo, Christina!Happy birthday to you, Christina!
- ChristinaSalamat, Mark! Ang bait mo talaga.Thank you, Mark! You are so kind.
- MarkSana ay maging masaya ang araw mo.I hope your day will be happy.
- ChristinaMaraming salamat sa pagbati mo.Thank you very much for your greeting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries maligayang kaarawan, maligayang bati, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bati, kaarawan, maligayang bati, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
