Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| מזל־טובֿ צו דײַן געבוירנטאָג | mazltov tsu dayn geboyrntog | |
| מיט מזל געיערט זיך | mit mazl geyert zikh | |
| ביז הונדערט און צוואַנציק | biz hundert un tsvantsik | |
| אַ פֿריילעכן געבורטסטאָג | a freylekhn geburtstog | /a ˈfrɛɪ̯ləχn̩ ɡəbʊrt͡stɔɡ/ (YIVO) /a ˈfreɪ̯laχn̩ ɡəbʊrt͡stɔɡ/ (Northeastern) |
These phrases are used to offer good wishes for someone's birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase מזל־טובֿ צו דײַן געבוירנטאָג, the term מזל־טובֿ (mazl-tov) literally means "good luck" or "good fortune".
Which one should you use?
The phrase אַ פֿריילעכן געבורטסטאָג is a direct translation of "a happy birthday," using the adjective freylekhn for happy and geburtstog for birthday. The phrase ביז הונדערט און צוואַנציק is a more idiomatic and enthusiastic expression that literally means "until one hundred and twenty." Finally, מיט מזל געיערט זיך is another way to offer birthday congratulations.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase מזל־טובֿ צו דײַן געבוירנטאָג, the word דײַן (dayn) is the possessive pronoun for "your" (singular/informal).
How do you pronounce it?
mazltov tsu dayn geboyrntog
When do people say it?
The expression ביז הונדערט און צוואַנציק (until one hundred and twenty) refers to a traditional Jewish blessing for a long life, which is based on the age of Moses.
Did you know?
- The word מזל in the phrase מזל־טובֿ originally referred to a 'star' or 'constellation'. This reflects an ancient belief that the position of the stars determined a person's fate and luck.
- While מזל־טובֿ is used for birthdays, it is a versatile phrase used for any joyful occasion, such as weddings or graduations, meaning 'good fortune'.
- The word מזל־טובֿ is so globally recognized that English speakers often use it as a general exclamation of 'congratulations' without knowing the language.
Examples in context
- ביז הונדערט און צוואַנציק!Happy birthday!This example shows the use of the enthusiastic phrase ביז הונדערט און צוואַנציק.Tatoeba #9707176 by shekitten, translation #453219 by CM
- מיט מזל געיערט זיך, באָבעשי!Happy birthday, Grandma.This example demonstrates how to use מיט מזל געיערט זיך when addressing someone like a grandmother.Tatoeba #11484859 by shekitten, translation #2650906 by meerkat
- מזל־טובֿ צו דײַן געבוירנטאָג!mazl-tov tsu dayn geboyrtog!Happy birthday to you!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yitzhak is giving a gift to Miriam.
- יצחק Yitzchakמזל־טובֿ צו דײַן געבוירנטאָג, מרים!Mazel-tov tsu dayn geboyrentog, Miriam!Happy birthday, Miriam!
- מרים Miriamאַ דאַנק, יצחק!A dank, Yitzhak!Thank you, Yitzhak!
- יצחק Yitzchakדאָס איז פֿאַר דיך.Dos iz far dikh.This is for you.
- מרים Miriamדו ביסט זייער גוט!Du bist zeyer gut!You are very kind!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries ביז הונדערט און צוואַנציק, אַ פֿריילעכן געבורטסטאָג, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ביז הונדערט און צוואַנציק, דײַן, זיך, מזל, מזל־טובֿ, מיט, צו, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
