joyeux anniversaire monsieur
The English phrase 'happy birthday mister' is translated into French as joyeux anniversaire monsieur.
Joyeux anniversaire monsieur is a polite way to wish a man a happy birthday. While the core phrase joyeux anniversaire is suitable for people of all ages, adding monsieur shifts the tone to be more respectful.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of joyeux (joyful), anniversaire (birthday) and monsieur (mister/sir).
Which one should you use?
If you were speaking to a man you know well or a friend, you would typically omit monsieur or use his first name instead.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Including monsieur makes this a formal or polite way to address a man, suitable for someone you do not know well or a superior. One more formal way to express this is Je vous souhaite un joyeux anniversaire, Monsieur!
Did you know?
- The word monsieur is actually a contraction of 'my lord' or 'my master', combining mon (my) with a shortened form of sieur (lord).
- In France, it is common to celebrate a birthday by treating the person to a meal, rather than the birthday person paying or hosting.
- In many French-speaking cultures, it is more common to say bon anniversaire than joyeux anniversaire, even though both are grammatically correct.
Example conversation
Lucas is greeting his boss in the office.
- LucasBonjour ! Joyeux anniversaire monsieur.Hello! Happy birthday, sir.
- ManonMerci beaucoup, Lucas.Thank you very much, Lucas.
- LucasEst-ce que vous faites une fête ?Are you having a party?
- ManonNon, je reste avec ma famille.No, I am staying with my family.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anniversaire, joyeux, monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
