wann hast du Geburtstag?
/van hast duː ɡəˈbuːɐ̯t͡sˌtaːk/word by word
The English phrase 'when is your birthday?' is translated into German as wann hast du Geburtstag?
This phrase is a question used to ask someone for the date on which they were born.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase wann hast du Geburtstag? literally translates to 'when have you birthday?' because German uses the verb 'haben' (to have) instead of 'to be' in this context.
Which one should you use?
You may also see Wann ist dein Geburtstag?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, you may hear the informal regional variation Wänn häsch Geburtstag? or the formal variation Wänn händ/hend Sie Geburtstag? In Austria, an informal regional variation is Wann host du Geburtstag?
How do you pronounce it?
/van hast duː ɡəˈbuːɐ̯tsˌtaːk/
Did you know?
- In Germany, it is considered bad luck to wish someone a happy birthday before the actual date. Doing so is called vorfeiern and is often met with a playful but firm correction.
- In some German traditions, it is the birthday person's custom to provide the cake and snacks for their colleagues at work, rather than the colleagues surprising them.
- German has a specific word for the 'birthday child', Geburtstagskind, which is used for people of all ages throughout their birthday celebrations.
Examples in context
- Wann hast du eigentlich Geburtstag?When do you actually have your birthday?
- Wann hast du Geburtstag?When is your birthday?
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (wann, Hast, du, Geburtstag) and can differ in connected speech.
