What does it mean word for word?
The phrase van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag literally translates to "heartfelt congratulations with your birthday".
Which one should you use?
You can use shorter forms like Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! to say "Congratulations on your birthday!" in informal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the southern parts of the Netherlands, people may say Proficiat met je verjaardag! instead of Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! In Flemish regions of Belgium, people may use Gelukkige verjaardag! instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address more than one person at once, such as twins, replace je with jullie to form van harte gefeliciteerd met jullie verjaardag. To switch from an informal to a formal tone, replace the informal je with the formal uw.
When do people say it?
When receiving birthday wishes in Dutch, the standard response is Dank je wel! for informal situations or Dank u wel! for formal ones.
Did you know?
- The word met in the phrase Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag is a linguistic relative of the English word 'meat', both stemming from ancient roots related to food and sustenance.
- While English speakers say 'Happy Birthday', the Dutch focus on the concept of 'congratulations' because the celebration is viewed as a congratulatory event for the person.
- If you want to wish someone a happy birthday in a very enthusiastic way, you can say Van harte gefeliciteerd!, which avoids mentioning the 'birthday' entirely while still being perfectly understood.
Examples in context
- Ik wil je van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag zeggen.I want to wish you a happy birthday.
- Zeg tegen haar: van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag.Tell her: happy birthday to you.
Example conversation
Noah visits Emma at her house to celebrate her birthday.
- NoahHoi Emma, van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag!Hi Emma, happy birthday to you!
- EmmaDank je wel, Noah! Wat lief van je.Thank you, Noah! That is sweet of you.
- NoahHeb je een leuke dag tot nu toe?Are you having a nice day so far?
- EmmaJa, het is echt een geweldige dag!Yes, it is a really great day!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries met, van, verjaardag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
