joyeux anniversaire mon cher ami
The English phrase "happy birthday my dear friend" is translated into French as joyeux anniversaire mon cher ami.
This is a warm greeting used to wish a close friend a happy birthday. You can also use terms like copain for a male friend, copine for a female friend or the more casual pote for buddy.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of joyeux (joyful), anniversaire (anniversary/birthday), mon (my), cher (dear) and ami (friend).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must change based on the gender and number of the person or people you are addressing. If the friend is female, you must change the masculine mon cher ami to the feminine ma chère amie. To address multiple dear friends, the phrase changes to mes chers amis.
Did you know?
- While cher means 'dear' in this phrase, it is also the standard French word for 'expensive'.
- If you are in Quebec, you might hear 'Bonne fête' instead of 'Joyeux anniversaire' to wish someone a happy birthday.
- The word anniversaire contains the Latin root 'vertō', meaning 'to turn', suggesting a birthday is a moment where the year 'turns' or revolves.
Example conversation
Lucas gives a gift to Manon for her birthday.
- LucasJoyeux anniversaire mon cher ami !Happy birthday my dear friend!
- ManonOh, merci beaucoup Lucas !Oh, thank you so much Lucas!
- LucasJ'espère que ce cadeau te plaira.I hope you will like this gift.
- ManonC'est vraiment gentil de ta part.That is really kind of you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ami, anniversaire, cher, joyeux, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
