Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 생일 축하해요 | saeng'il chukha-haeyo | [sʰɛŋiɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦɛjo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰe̞ŋiɭ t͡ɕʰukʰa̠ɦe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
informal, polite |
| 생신 축하드립니다 | saengsin chukha-deurimnida | formal | |
| 생일 축하합니다 | saeng'il chukha-hamnida | formal | |
| 생일 축하해 | saeng'il chukha-hae | informal |
These phrases are used to offer good wishes for someone's birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 생일 축하해요 is composed of 생일 (birthday) and 축하해요 (congratulate/celebrate).
Which one should you use?
The standard word is 생일, but you should use the honorific form 생신 when wishing a happy birthday to someone much older or of much higher social status. For the actual greeting, 생일 축하합니다 is a formal way to say 'Congratulations on your birthday', while 생일 축하해요 is a standard polite version and 생일 축하해 is the informal version.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For close friends or people younger than you, use the informal 생일 축하해. For everyday social situations where you want to be polite, use the polite 생일 축하해요. If you need to be formal, use 생일 축하합니다 or the variation 생일 축하드려요. To show high respect to an elder or superior, use the formal 생신 축하드립니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the informal phrase 생일 축하해 with a friend, you can add the suffix '-야 (-ya)' to the person's name (e.g., [Name]야, 생일 축하해) to convey familiarity.
How do you pronounce it?
saeng'il chukha-haeyo
When do people say it?
In highly formal or sincere settings, you might use the extended phrase 존경하는 [Name]의 생신을 진심으로 축하드립니다, which translates to 'I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday, respected [Name]'.
Did you know?
- In Korea, it is a common tradition to eat 미역국 (seaweed soup) on your birthday. This is because it is the same soup mothers eat after giving birth to recover their health.
- While the phrase 생일 축하해 focuses on the day, some Koreans traditionally counted their age from the moment of conception. This meant a baby was already one year old when they were born.
- The word 축하 (celebrate) is composed of the characters for 'to pray' and 'to rejoice'. This suggests that a birthday greeting is not just a social remark but a wish for a blessed and joyful event.
Examples in context
- 생일 축하해 Muiriel!Happy birthday, Muiriel!This example shows how to use the informal 생일 축하해 to wish someone a happy birthday.Tatoeba #5355 by cueyayotl, translation #355041 by human600
- 생일 축하합니다, 할머니! 오늘은 특별한 날이에요.Happy birthday, Grandma! Today is a special day.
- 진심으로 존경하는 아버지의 생신을 축하드립니다.I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday, respected father.
Example conversation
Dohyun greets Subin on her birthday at a cafe.
- 도현 Do-hyeon수빈 씨, 생일 축하해요!Subin ssi, saeng-il chukha-haeyo!Subin, happy birthday!
- 수빈 Su-bin고마워요, 도현 씨!goma-woyo, Dohyun ssi!Thank you, Dohyun!
- 도현 Do-hyeon오늘 즐거운 하루 보내세요.oneul jeul-geo-un haru bonaese-yo.Have a fun day today.
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 그럴게요.ne, geureol-geyo.Yes, I will.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries 생일 축하해요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 생신, 생일, 생일 축하해요, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
