عيد ميلاد سعيد
Eid milad sa'eed
The English phrase "happy birthday to a girl" is عيد ميلاد سعيد (Eid milad sa'eed) in Arabic.
عيد ميلاد سعيد is a common greeting used to wish someone a happy birthday.
Which one should you use?
While عيد ميلاد سعيد is a direct way to say happy birthday, a more common and idiomatic way to wish a female a happy birthday is كل عام وأنتِ بخير, which translates to "May you be well every year". In informal settings, you can also use كل سنة وأنتِ طيبة.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the idiomatic greeting كل عام وأنتِ بخير, you must use the feminine pronoun أنتِ (you) to address a female recipient.
How do you pronounce it?
Eid milad sa'eed
When do people say it?
When receiving a birthday greeting in Arabic, a standard response is شكراً (Thank you).
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects, it is common to accompany these greetings with a kiss on each cheek, usually starting with the right side.
- When saying كل عام وأنتِ بخير to a girl, the phrase is not just a greeting but a 'du'a', which is a short prayer for her continued health and prosperity.
- The word عيد in your greeting is the same root used for the major Islamic holidays, such as عيد الفطر (Eid al-Fitr).
Examples in context
- عيد ميلاد سعيد لصديقتي العزيزة.Eid milad sa'id li sadiqati al-aziza.Happy birthday to my dear friend.
Example conversation
Youssef gives a gift to Sarah for her birthday.
- سارة Saraشكراً على الهدية يا يوسف!Shukran 'ala al-hadiya ya Youssef!Thank you for the gift, Youssef!
- يوسف Youssefعيد ميلاد سعيد يا سارة!Eid milad sa'id ya Sarah!Happy birthday, Sarah!
- سارة Saraأنت لطيف جداً.Anta latif jiddan.You are very kind.
- يوسف Youssefأتمنى لكِ يوماً رائعاً.Atamanna laki yawman ra'i'an.I wish you a wonderful day.
