joyeux anniversaire
/ʒwa.jø.z‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/
In French, the English abbreviation "hbd" is expressed as joyeux anniversaire.
joyeux anniversaire is used as a greeting to wish someone a happy birthday.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, it is common to use the phrase Bonne fête to wish someone a happy birthday.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa.jø.z‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/
Did you know?
- In France, the phrase bonne fête is not used for birthdays, but rather to celebrate a person's 'name day', which is the feast day of the saint they are named after.
- The word anniversaire comes from the Latin annus meaning 'year' and vertō meaning 'to turn', literally describing the earth turning back to the same point in its orbit.
- A common way to respond to joyeux anniversaire is simply merci, but it is culturally common for the person celebrating to treat their guests to drinks or cake rather than receiving gifts only.
Examples in context
- Joyeux anniversaire, Marie!Happy birthday, Marie!
- Bon anniversaire, Jean!Happy birthday, Jean!
- Je te souhaite un joyeux anniversaire rempli de bonheur et de réussite!I wish you a happy birthday filled with happiness and success!
- Joyeux anniversaire, ma chère !Happy birthday, my dear!
- Un grand joyeux anniversaire à toi !A big happy birthday to you!
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are chatting on their phones.
- HugoJoyeux anniversaire, Emma !Happy birthday, Emma!
- EmmaMerci beaucoup, Hugo !Thank you very much, Hugo!
- HugoTu fais une fête ce soir ?Are you having a party tonight?
- EmmaOui, viens avec tes amis !Yes, come with your friends!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry joyeux anniversaire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anniversaire, joyeux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
