Gratulerer med dagen
The Norwegian phrase for "happy may 17" is Gratulerer med dagen.
Gratulerer med dagen is the standard greeting used specifically for Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17th. While this phrase is also a general way to say "Happy Birthday," it is the specific greeting for the holiday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Congratulations with the day."
Did you know?
- Norway celebrates its Constitution Day as a children's parade, meaning you will most often hear Gratulerer med dagen shouted by and to children marching through the streets.
- When using this phrase on May 17th, it is common to pair it with wearing a 'bunad', which is a traditional folk costume that can be very expensive and takes months to make.
- The word med in the phrase comes from the Old Norse með, which shares an ancient root with the English word 'mid'.
Examples in context
- Gratulerer med 17. mai! Håper du får en fantastisk dag!Happy May 17! I hope you have a fantastic day!
- Gratulerer med nasjonaldagen! Håper du nyter feiringen og det norske fellesskapet!Congratulations on the National Day! I hope you enjoy the celebration and the Norwegian community!
- Gratulerer med dagen!Happy May 17th!
- Jeg vil si gratulerer med dagen til deg.I want to say happy May 17th to you.
- Gratulerer med dagen til hele familien din.Happy May 17th to your whole family.
Example conversation
Ingrid and Magnus meet in a street decorated with Norwegian flags.
- IngridGratulerer med dagen, Magnus!Happy May 17th, Magnus!
- MagnusTusen takk, Ingrid! Gratulerer med dagen til deg også.Thank you so much, Ingrid! Happy May 17th to you too.
- IngridTakk, har du noen planer for dagen?Thanks, do you have any plans for the day?
- MagnusJa, jeg skal feire med familien min.Yes, I am going to celebrate with my family.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gratulerer med dagen, med, CC BY-SA 4.0.
