Whether you’re planning to celebrate your birthday in Russia, communicating with Russian-speaking friends, or simply interested in learning the language, knowing how to express your birthday in Russian is invaluable. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore different ways to say your birthday in both formal and informal contexts. Let’s dive in!
Formal Ways to Say Your Birthday
If you’re looking for a formal way to express your birthday in Russian, here are some phrases you can use:
“Мой день рождения”
This is the most standard way to say “my birthday” in Russian. It is pronounced as “moy den’ rozhdeniya.”
“У меня день рождения”
This phrase translates to “I have a birthday” and is widely used to indicate your special day. It is pronounced as “oo mehnya den’ rozhdeniya.”
Informal Ways to Say Your Birthday
When speaking with friends, family, or peers, you can use more casual expressions to convey your birthday:
“С днем рождения!”
This is the most common way to wish someone “Happy Birthday” in Russian. It literally translates to “With the day of birth!” and is pronounced as “s dyem rozhdeniya!”
“День рождения у меня!”
This phrase means “It’s my birthday!” and is a more relaxed way to let people know about your special day. Pronounce it as “Den’ rozhdeniya oo mehnya!”
Regional Variations
Russian is spoken in different regions and countries, and while the basic phrases remain the same, some regions may have their own variations when it comes to expressing birthdays. Here are a few examples:
“День народження”
In Ukraine, the phrase for “birthday” is “День народження” (Den’ narodzhennya) in Ukrainian. It is similar in pronunciation to the Russian phrase but written using the Cyrillic alphabet.
“С Днем Рожденья!”
In Belarus, the phrase for “Happy Birthday” is “С Днем Рожденья!” (S Dyem Rozhdennya!) which has a slight variation in the spelling of “birthday.” Pronounce it similarly to the Russian phrase.
Tips and Examples
To help you master the art of expressing your birthday in Russian, here are some additional tips and examples:
1. Using Numbers
When talking about your birthday, you will need to know how to pronounce numbers in Russian. Here are the numbers from one to ten:
- 1: один (a-deen)
- 2: два (dva)
- 3: три (tree)
- 4: четыре (chee-tyre)
- 5: пять (pyat’)
- 6: шесть (shest’)
- 7: семь (syem’)
- 8: восемь (vo-syem’)
- 9: девять (dyev-yat’)
- 10: десять (dye-syat’)
2. Talking About the Date
To express the date of your birthday, you can use the following structure:
“Мой день рождения (дата)”
For example, if your birthday is on the 14th of June:
“Мой день рождения четырнадцатого июня.”
3. Additional Vocabulary
Here is some additional vocabulary related to birthdays:
- Party: вечеринка (ve-chee-rin-ka)
- Cake: торт (tort)
- Presents: подарки (po-dar-kee)
- Balloons: шарики (sha-ree-kee)
- Candles: свечи (sve-chi)
Now armed with these phrases, let’s see some examples:
Example 1:
Person A: У меня день рождения в эту субботу! (My birthday is this Saturday!)
Person B: Какой подарок ты хотел бы получить? (What gift would you like to receive?)
Person A: Я очень хочу новую книгу! (I really want a new book!)
Example 2:
Person A: С днем рождения, мама! (Happy Birthday, mom!)
Person B: Спасибо, дорогой! Твои поздравления сделали мой день особенным! (Thank you, dear! Your wishes made my day special!)
Person A: Рад, что тебе понравилось! (I’m glad you liked it!)
Conclusion
Congratulations! Now you know how to express your birthday in Russian. Whether you choose a formal or informal approach, remember to pronounce the words with confidence and warmth. Learning these phrases will undoubtedly enhance your ability to connect with Russian-speaking friends and make your birthday celebrations even more exciting. С днем рождения! (Happy Birthday!)
