buon compleanno, amico mio
/ˈbwɔn kom.pleˈan.no aˈmi.ko ˈmi.o/word by word
The English phrase "happy birthday my friend" is translated into Italian as buon compleanno, amico mio.
This phrase is a greeting used to wish a friend a happy birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of buon (good), compleanno (birthday), amico (friend) and mio (my).
Which one should you use?
While buon compleanno is a direct translation of "happy birthday", Italians frequently use tanti auguri (many wishes) as a common alternative for birthdays.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the friend is female, you must change the masculine amico mio to the feminine amica mia.
How do you pronounce it?
It has 8 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In many parts of Italy, you are more likely to hear cent’anni! (one hundred years!) as a birthday toast than the actual phrase buon compleanno.
- While amico mio sounds very poetic, using it in a casual text might feel more dramatic than the English 'my friend'.
- The word compleanno is a linguistic hybrid, blending the concept of 'completing' a cycle with the word for 'year'.
Examples in context
- Volevo dirti: buon compleanno, amico mio.I wanted to tell you: happy birthday, my friend.
- Ti auguro un buon compleanno, amico mio.I wish you a happy birthday, my friend.
Example conversation
Martina calls Francesco on his birthday.
- MartinaCiao Francesco, buon compleanno, amico mio!Hi Francesco, happy birthday, my friend!
- FrancescoGrazie mille, Martina! Sei molto gentile.Thanks a lot, Martina! You are very kind.
- MartinaHai programmi speciali per oggi?Do you have special plans for today?
- FrancescoSì, vado a cena con la mia famiglia.Yes, I am going to dinner with my family.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (buon, compleanno, amico, mio) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amico, compleanno, mio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
