joyeux anniversaire en retard
To say happy late birthday in French, use joyeux anniversaire en retard.
Use joyeux anniversaire en retard when you send birthday wishes after the actual date has passed. A very common alternative is bon anniversaire en retard.
What does it mean word for word?
joyeux anniversaire means happy birthday and en retard means late, literally in delay.
Which one should you use?
bon anniversaire en retard means the same thing and is just as common. Joyeux anniv' en retard! is a casual, shortened version for friends. Désolé pour le retard, mais joyeux anniversaire! means sorry for the delay, but happy birthday.
How does it change in a sentence?
In French the modifier en retard comes after the greeting, not before it as late does in English.
Did you know?
- In French, the word anniversaire is used for both a birthday and a wedding anniversary. To specify which one is being celebrated late, a speaker must add the word de mariage.
- The word anniversaire comes from the Latin anniversārius, which combines annus for 'year' and vertō for 'to turn'. It literally describes the act of the year turning or revolving back to the same date.
- The phrase en retard is used not just for late birthdays, but also for anyone who is running late for an appointment or a train, unlike the English 'late' which can also mean deceased.
Examples in context
- Salut Lisa, Bon anniversaire en retard! J'espère que tu as été bien gâtée.Hi Lisa, Happy birthday belatedly! I hope you were spoiled.
- Joyeux anniversaire en retard, mon ami.Happy late birthday, my friend.
- Oh, joyeux anniversaire en retard !Oh, happy late birthday!
- Je te souhaite un joyeux anniversaire en retard.I wish you a happy late birthday.
Example conversation
Léa meets Gabriel at a cafe after missing his birthday.
- LéaJoyeux anniversaire en retard, Gabriel !Happy late birthday, Gabriel!
- GabrielMerci beaucoup, Léa.Thank you very much, Léa.
- LéaTu as passé une bonne journée ?Did you have a good day?
- GabrielOui, c'était super.Yes, it was great.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anniversaire, en, joyeux, retard, CC BY-SA 4.0.
