お幸せに
oshiawaseni
The English phrase 'I wish you happiness' in Japanese is expressed as お幸せに (oshiawaseni).
お幸せに is a phrase used to wish someone a happy life. It is most commonly used when congratulating a newlywed couple or someone starting a new life together.
What does it mean word for word?
お幸せに is a shortened form of oshiawase ni natte kudasai, which literally means 'please become happy'.
Which one should you use?
Unlike yorokonde imasu, which expresses the speaker's current feeling of being happy or glad, お幸せに focuses on the recipient's future state of happiness.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お幸せに is a polite way to offer a blessing, thanks to the use of the honorific prefix お. For even more variety, you can use the formal 幸福をお祈りしています or the very formal ご多幸をお祈りしております, which implies a wish for great happiness. In contrast, for informal situations, you can use 幸せを祈ってるよ or 幸せになってね.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ends with the particle に, which in this context functions as a way to express a wish or a command for a state to be achieved.
How do you pronounce it?
oshiawaseni
Did you know?
- While お幸せに is used for weddings, it is generally not said to a person who is already married and happy. Using it in that context could accidentally imply that they are not currently happy.
- The word 幸せ (happiness) is historically linked to the word しあわせ (fortuitous), meaning that happiness was once viewed as a matter of luck or fate rather than a personal achievement.
- In very formal written wishes, such as wedding invitations, the word 多幸 (great happiness) is used. The character 多 means 'many', effectively wishing the couple 'a multitude of happiness'.
Examples in context
- 幸福をお祈りしています。お誕生日おめでとうございます。I wish you happiness. Happy birthday!
- ご多幸をお祈りしております。結婚おめでとうございます。I wish you great happiness. Congratulations on your marriage!
- 幸せを祈ってるよ！試験頑張ってね！I wish you happiness! Good luck on your exam!
- 幸せになってね！新しい仕事頑張って！Be happy! Good luck with your new job!
- お二人は、本当にお幸せに。Ofutari wa, hontou ni oshiawase ni.I wish you both true happiness.
- 末永く、お幸せに。Suenagaku, oshiawase ni.I wish you long-lasting happiness.
- これからも、お幸せにね。Kore kara mo, oshiawase ni ne.I wish you happiness from now on.
Example conversation
Kenta is congratulating Hiyori at her wedding reception.
- 健太 Kenta結婚おめでとう！Kekkon omedetou!Congratulations on your marriage!
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう、健太くん。Arigatou, Kenta-kun.Thank you, Kenta.
- 健太 Kenta末永くお幸せにね。Suenagaku oshiawase ni ne.I wish you lasting happiness.
- 陽葵 Himari本当にありがとう！Hontou ni arigatou!Thank you so much!
