mon anniversaire
In French, my birthday is mon anniversaire.
The phrase mon anniversaire is used to refer to the anniversary of the day a person was born.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the possessive adjective mon (my) and the noun anniversaire (anniversary/birthday).
How does it change in a sentence?
Even though anniversaire is a masculine noun, if you were talking about a feminine noun starting with a vowel, you would still use mon instead of ma to avoid a vowel clash.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying anniversaire de naissance, which is a literal translation of the English word "birthday". In French, anniversaire alone is the standard way to refer to a birthday.
Did you know?
- The word anniversaire describes something that 'turns' or 'revolves' around the sun once a year. It comes from the Latin annus meaning 'year' and vertō meaning 'to turn'.
- In English, a 'birthday' is a specific kind of anniversary, but in French, anniversaire is the only word used for both. This means a wedding anniversary is also called un anniversaire de mariage.
- In a French restaurant, if you say it is your anniversaire, the staff might perform a small celebration or sing, as the term carries a celebratory weight in social culture.
Examples in context
- C'est mon anniversaire !It's my birthday!This example shows how to announce that it is your birthday.Tatoeba #8640068 by Julien_PDC, translation #8912385 by DemonicSatori
- Demain est mon anniversaire.Tomorrow is my birthday.This example is useful for stating when your birthday occurs.Tatoeba #1330312 by sacredceltic, translation #71844 by CK
- Il a gâché mon anniversaire.He ruined my birthday.This example demonstrates how to express that someone ruined your birthday.Tatoeba #12184795 by always, translation #8188619 by Amastan
- C'est mon anniversaire aujourd'hui.It's my birthday today.
- J'ai oublié de te souhaiter un joyeux anniversaire.I forgot to wish you a happy birthday.
- 79 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are talking about upcoming plans.
- EmmaTu te souviens de mon anniversaire ?Do you remember my birthday?
- GabrielOui, c'est samedi prochain, n'est-ce pas ?Yes, it's next Saturday, isn't it?
- EmmaExactement, je prépare une petite fête.Exactly, I am preparing a small party.
- GabrielJe serai là pour fêter mon anniversaire avec toi !I will be there to celebrate your birthday with you!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anniversaire, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
