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Imagine receiving a birthday message in your native language from someone who lives thousands of miles away from where you grew up. Or picture the smile on your international colleague's face when you wish them "Happy Birthday" in their mother tongue instead of just the standard English greeting. There's something incredibly touching about the effort someone makes to celebrate you in the language of your heart.
Learning how to say happy birthday in different languages is more than just a fun linguistic exercise... it's a meaningful way to show appreciation for the diverse people in your life. Whether you have foreign friends, international coworkers, family members who speak another language, or you're simply connected to a multicultural community, taking the time to learn and use birthday wishes in different languages demonstrates genuine thoughtfulness and cultural respect.
This comprehensive guide will teach you how to say happy birthday in 100 languages from around the world, complete with pronunciations, cultural context, and tips for using these greetings authentically. We've organized them by region and included both the written form and phonetic pronunciation to help you deliver your message with confidence. Whether you're looking for a happy birthday in all languages for reference, need a specific translation for someone special, or simply want to expand your cultural knowledge, you'll find everything you need here.
And if you're looking for inspiration on what to say beyond just "Happy Birthday," be sure to check out our comprehensive articles on birthday messages, birthday video greetings, and birthday wishes for every relationship. We have a ton of different options to help you craft the perfect birthday message, whether you're keeping it traditional or adding a multilingual twist!
We've organized these birthday greetings by geographic region to help you find what you need quickly and to understand the linguistic diversity within each area of the world.
French: Joyeux anniversaire Pronunciation: zhwah-YUH ah-nee-vehr-SEHR Note: One of the most commonly learned phrases worldwide. The French also sometimes say "Bon anniversaire" (bohn ah-nee-vehr-SEHR).
Spanish: Feliz cumpleaños Pronunciation: feh-LEES koom-pleh-AH-nyos Note: Used across Spain and Latin America with slight pronunciation variations by region.
German: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag Pronunciation: AH-les GOO-teh tsoom geh-BOOR-tstahk Note: Literally means "all the best for your birthday." A shorter version is "Herzlichen Glückwunsch" (HERTS-lee-khen GLOOK-voonsh).
Italian: Buon compleanno Pronunciation: bwohn kom-pleh-AHN-noh Note: Italians often sing "Tanti auguri" (TAHN-tee ow-GOO-ree) which means "many wishes."
Portuguese: Feliz aniversário Pronunciation: feh-LEEZ ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree-oh Note: This is Brazilian Portuguese. In Portugal, some also say "Parabéns" (pah-rah-BAINS).
Dutch: Gelukkige verjaardag Pronunciation: kheh-LUK-ih-kheh ver-YAHR-dahkh Note: Dutch also commonly uses "Van harte gefeliciteerd" (vahn HAR-teh kheh-feh-lee-see-TAYRT).
Catalan: Feliç aniversari Pronunciation: feh-LEES ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree Note: Spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands in Spain.
Basque: Zorionak Pronunciation: zoh-ree-OH-nahk Note: The Basque language is unique and unrelated to any other known language.
Galician: Feliz aniversario Pronunciation: feh-LEETH ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree-oh Note: Similar to Portuguese, spoken in Galicia, Spain.
Swedish: Grattis på födelsedagen Pronunciation: GRAH-tis paw FUH-del-seh-dah-yen Note: Often shortened to just "Grattis!"
Norwegian: Gratulerer med dagen Pronunciation: grah-too-LEH-rer meh DAH-gen Note: Literally means "congratulations on the day."
Danish: Tillykke med fødselsdagen Pronunciation: ti-LÜ-keh meth FÖD-sels-day-en Note: Danish pronunciation can be tricky for non-native speakers.
Finnish: Hyvää syntymäpäivää Pronunciation: HÜ-vaa SÜN-tü-mah-pai-vaa Note: Finnish grammar is complex, but this phrase is straightforward.
Icelandic: Til hamingju með afmælið Pronunciation: tihl HAH-ming-yoo meth AHF-mai-lith Note: Icelandic has preserved many Old Norse linguistic features.
Estonian: Palju õnne sünnipäevaks Pronunciation: PAHL-yoo UH-neh SÜN-nee-pai-vahks Note: Estonian is related to Finnish, not to other Baltic languages.
Latvian: Daudz laimes dzimšanas dienā Pronunciation: DOWDZ LYE-mes DZIM-shah-nahs dee-EH-nah Note: Latvian is one of the oldest Indo-European languages still spoken.
Lithuanian: Su gimtadieniu Pronunciation: soo gim-tah-DYEH-n yoo Note: Lithuanian is considered one of the most conservative living Indo-European languages.
Russian: С днём рождения (S dnyom rozhdeniya) Pronunciation: s dnyom rozh-DEH-nee-yah Note: Russian uses Cyrillic script. This phrase is used across Russia and many former Soviet states.
Ukrainian: З днем народження (Z dnem narodzhennya) Pronunciation: z dnem nah-ROHD-zhen-yah Note: Similar to Russian but distinct. Ukrainian identity is strong, and using Ukrainian rather than Russian is important.
Polish: Wszystkiego najlepszego Pronunciation: vshist-KYEH-go nai-LEP-sheh-go Note: Literally means "all the best." Full phrase is "Wszystkiego najlepszego z okazji urodzin."
Czech: Všechno nejlepší k narozeninám Pronunciation: VSHEH-kno NEI-lep-shee k nah-roh-ZEH-nee-nahm Note: Czech has many consonant clusters that challenge non-native speakers.
Slovak: Všetko najlepšie k narodeninám Pronunciation: VSHET-ko NAI-lep-shyeh k nah-roh-DEH-nee-nahm Note: Very similar to Czech due to their shared history.
Hungarian: Boldog születésnapot Pronunciation: BOWL-dog SÜ-leh-taysh-nah-pot Note: Hungarian is unique in Europe, unrelated to most surrounding languages.
Romanian: La mulți ani Pronunciation: lah MOOLTSE ahnee Note: Literally means "to many years." Used for birthdays, New Year's, and other celebrations.
Bulgarian: Честит рожден ден (Chestit rozhden den) Pronunciation: CHES-tit ROZH-den den Note: Bulgarian uses Cyrillic script and has unique grammatical features.
Greek: Χρόνια πολλά (Chronia polla) Pronunciation: HRON-yah poh-LAH Note: Literally "many years." Greek uses its own alphabet.
Albanian: Gëzuar ditëlindjen Pronunciation: guh-ZOO-ahr dee-tuh-LIND-yen Note: Albanian is a unique Indo-European language with no close relatives.
Serbian: Срећан рођендан (Srećan rođendan) Pronunciation: SREH-chan ROH-jen-dahn Note: Serbian can be written in both Cyrillic and Latin script.
Croatian: Sretan rođendan Pronunciation: SREH-tahn ROH-jen-dahn Note: Very similar to Serbian but uses Latin script exclusively.
Bosnian: Sretan rođendan Pronunciation: SREH-tahn ROH-jen-dahn Note: Bosnian is mutually intelligible with Serbian and Croatian.
Slovenian: Vse najboljše Pronunciation: vse nai-BOHL-ysheh Note: Slovenian has unique features including a dual grammatical number.
Macedonian: Среќен роденден (Sreken rodenden) Pronunciation: SREH-ken ROH-den-den Note: Uses Cyrillic script similar to Serbian and Bulgarian.
Maltese: Il-milied it-tajjeb Pronunciation: eel-MEE-lyed it-TIE-yeb Note: Maltese is a Semitic language with heavy Romance influence, unique in Europe.
Read also: Creative & Funny Birthday Video Ideas to Make Someone's Day
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Mandarin Chinese: 生日快乐 (Shēngrì kuàilè) Pronunciation: shung-rr kwai-luh Note: Written in simplified Chinese. Traditional Chinese uses 生日快樂.
Cantonese: 生日快樂 (Saang1 jat6 faai3 lok6) Pronunciation: sahng yaht faai lohk Note: Spoken in Hong Kong, Macau, and parts of Southern China.
Japanese: お誕生日おめでとうございます (Otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu) Pronunciation: oh-tahn-JOH-bee oh-meh-deh-TOH goh-zai-mahs Note: This is the formal version. Casual is "Otanjōbi omedetō."
Korean: 생일 축하합니다 (Saeng-il chukha hamnida) Pronunciation: sang-eel chook-hah hahm-nee-dah Note: Formal version. Casual is "Saeng-il chukha-hae" (sang-eel chook-hah-hay).
Taiwanese (Hokkien): 生日快樂 (Seⁿ-ji̍t khoài-lo̍k) Pronunciation: sen-jit kwai-lok Note: Also called Taiwanese Hokkien or Taiwanese Min Nan.
Mongolian: Төрсөн өдрийн мэнд (Törsön ödriin mend) Pronunciation: TOR-son OD-reen mend Note: Mongolian uses Cyrillic script in Mongolia.
Thai: สุขสันต์วันเกิด (Suk san wan koet) Pronunciation: sook sahn wahn gurt Note: Thai script is complex; this is a simplified pronunciation guide.
Vietnamese: Chúc mừng sinh nhật Pronunciation: chook moong sing nyaht Note: Vietnamese is tonal, so pronunciation is important for meaning.
Indonesian: Selamat ulang tahun Pronunciation: seh-LAH-maht OO-lahng TAH-hoon Note: Indonesian and Malay are very similar.
Malay: Selamat hari jadi Pronunciation: seh-LAH-maht HAH-ree JAH-dee Note: Used in Malaysia, Brunei, and parts of Indonesia.
Filipino (Tagalog): Maligayang kaarawan Pronunciation: mah-lee-GAH-yang kah-ah-RAH-wahn Note: Filipino is based on Tagalog with English and Spanish influences.
Burmese: မွေးနေ့မွေးသားရက် (Mwe: ne. mwe: sa: yet) Pronunciation: mweh-nay mweh-thah-yet Note: Burmese script is circular and distinctive.
Khmer (Cambodian): រីករាយថ្ងៃកំណើត (Rikreay tngai kamnaet) Pronunciation: reek-ree-ay tngai kahm-nurt Note: Khmer script is one of the world's longest alphabets.
Lao: ສຸກສັນວັນເກີດ (Souk san van keut) Pronunciation: sook sahn vahn gurt Note: Similar to Thai but with its own script.
Hindi: जन्मदिन मुबारक (Janmadin mubarak) Pronunciation: jahn-mah-DEEN moo-bah-rahk Note: Used widely in India; "mubarak" is borrowed from Arabic/Urdu.
Bengali: জন্মদিনের শুভেচ্ছা (Jonmodin er shubheccha) Pronunciation: john-moh-DEEN er shoo-BECH-cha Note: Spoken in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India.
Urdu: سالگرہ مبارک (Salgirah mubarak) Pronunciation: sahl-GEE-rah moo-bah-rahk Note: Urdu uses Arabic script and is closely related to Hindi.
Punjabi: ਜਨਮ ਦਿਨ ਮੁਬਾਰਕ (Janam din mubarak) Pronunciation: jah-nahm deen moo-bah-rahk Note: Spoken in Punjab regions of India and Pakistan.
Tamil: பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Piranthanaḷ vāḻttukkaḷ) Pronunciation: pee-rahn-thah-nahl vaazh-too-kahl Note: One of the oldest living languages in the world.
Telugu: పుట్టినరోజు శుభాకాంక్షలు (Puṭṭinarōju śubhākānkṣalu) Pronunciation: poo-ttee-nah-roh-joo shoo-bah-kahnk-shah-loo Note: Spoken primarily in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, India.
Malayalam: പിറന്നാൾ ആശംസകൾ (Piṟannāḷ āśaṁsakaḷ) Pronunciation: pee-rahn-nahl ah-shahm-sah-kahl Note: Spoken in Kerala, India, with a unique script.
Kannada: ಹುಟ್ಟುಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು (Huṭṭuhabda śubhāśayagaḷu) Pronunciation: hoot-too-hub-dah shoo-bah-shah-yah-gah-loo Note: Spoken in Karnataka, India.
Marathi: वाढदिवसाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा (Vāḍhadivas āchyā hārdik śubhecchā) Pronunciation: vaadh-dee-vah-SAH-chyah HAR-deek shoo-BECH-cha Note: Spoken in Maharashtra, India.
Gujarati: જન્મદિવસ ની શુભકામના (Janmadivas nī śubhakāmanā) Pronunciation: jahn-mah-DEE-vahs nee shoo-bah-kah-mah-nah Note: Spoken in Gujarat, India.
Nepali: जन्मदिनको शुभकामना (Janmadin ko shubhakāmanā) Pronunciation: jahn-mah-DEEN koh shoo-bah-kah-mah-nah Note: Official language of Nepal, also spoken in parts of India.
Sinhala (Sinhalese): ජන්ම දිනයට සුබ පැතුම් (Janma dinayata subha pathum) Pronunciation: jahn-mah dee-nah-yah-tah soo-bah pah-toom Note: Spoken in Sri Lanka.
Kazakh: Туған күніңізбен (Twğan künıñızben) Pronunciation: too-GAHN koo-nee-neez-ben Note: Kazakh is a Turkic language spoken in Kazakhstan.
Uzbek: Tug'ilgan kuningiz bilan Pronunciation: too-gheel-GAHN koo-neen-geez bee-lahn Note: Uzbek is also a Turkic language, spoken in Uzbekistan.
Tajik: Бо рӯзи таваллуд (Bo rūzi tavallud) Pronunciation: boh ROO-zee tah-vah-LOOD Note: Tajik is a Persian language written in Cyrillic.
Arabic: عيد ميلاد سعيد (Eid milad saeed) Pronunciation: eed mee-LAHD sah-EED Note: Used across the Arab world with slight dialectal variations.
Hebrew: יום הולדת שמח (Yom huledet sameach) Pronunciation: yohm hoo-LEH-det sah-MEH-ahkh Note: Hebrew reads right to left.
Turkish: Doğum günün kutlu olsun Pronunciation: doh-OOM goo-NOON koot-LOO ohl-soon Note: Turkish uses Latin script with some unique letters.
Persian (Farsi): تولدت مبارک (Tavalodet mobarak) Pronunciation: tah-vah-LOH-det moh-bah-RAHK Note: Spoken in Iran, uses Arabic script with additional letters.
Kurdish: Rojbûna te pîroz be Pronunciation: rohj-BOO-nah teh pee-ROHZ beh Note: Kurdish has several dialects and writing systems.
Pashto: د زېږون ورځ مبارک شه (Da zegon wratz mobarak sha) Pronunciation: dah ZEH-gohn wratz moh-bah-RAHK shah Note: Spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Dari: تولدت مبارک (Tawalodát mubárak) Pronunciation: tah-wah-loh-DAHT moo-BAH-rahk Note: Afghan Persian, very similar to Farsi.
Armenian: Ծնունդդ շնորհավոր (Tsnundád shnorhavor) Pronunciation: tsnoon-DAHD shnor-hah-VOR Note: Armenian has its own unique alphabet.
Georgian: გილოცავ დაბადების დღეს (Gilotsav dabadebis dges) Pronunciation: gee-loh-TSAHV dah-bah-DEH-bees dgess Note: Georgian script is distinctive and beautiful.
Azerbaijani: Ad gününüz mübarək Pronunciation: ahd goo-noo-NOOZ moo-bah-REHK Note: Azerbaijani is a Turkic language.
Read also: Happy 18th Birthday Wishes: Perfect Messages for This Major Milestone
Egyptian Arabic: عيد ميلاد سعيد (Eid milad saeed) Pronunciation: eed mee-LAHD sah-EED Note: Egyptian Arabic has distinct pronunciation from other Arabic dialects.
Moroccan Arabic (Darija): عيد ميلاد سعيد (Eid milad saeed) Pronunciation: eed mee-LAHD sah-EED Note: Darija is heavily influenced by Berber and French.
Berber (Tamazight): Asdidh-ik ameggaz Pronunciation: ahs-DEED-eek ah-meh-GAHZ Note: Berber languages are indigenous to North Africa.
Swahili: Heri ya siku ya kuzaliwa Pronunciation: HEH-ree yah SEE-koo yah koo-zah-LEE-wah Note: Widely spoken in East Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Zulu: Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa Pronunciation: oo-SOO-koo oh-loom-NAHN-dee loh-koo-ZAHL-wah Note: One of South Africa's official languages.
Xhosa: Imini yomhla wokuzalwa onemincili Pronunciation: ee-MEE-nee yohm-lah woh-koo-ZAHL-wah oh-neh-meen-CHEE-lee Note: Known for its click consonants.
Afrikaans: Gelukkige verjaarsdag Pronunciation: kheh-LOOK-ih-kheh fer-YAHRS-dahkh Note: Derived from Dutch, spoken in South Africa and Namibia.
Yoruba: Eku ojobi Pronunciation: EH-koo oh-JOH-bee Note: Spoken in Nigeria and Benin.
Igbo: Ọnụ ụbọchị ọmụmụ gị Pronunciation: oh-noo oo-boh-CHEE oh-moo-moo gee Note: Spoken in southeastern Nigeria.
Hausa: Barka da ranar haihuwa Pronunciation: BAR-kah dah rah-NAHR hai-HOO-wah Note: Widely spoken across West Africa.
Amharic: መልካም ልደት (Melikam lidet) Pronunciation: meh-lee-KAHM lee-DEHT Note: Official language of Ethiopia, uses Ge'ez script.
Somali: Dhalasho wacan Pronunciation: dhah-LAH-shoh wah-CAHN Note: Spoken in Somalia and surrounding regions.
Malagasy: Tratry ny tsingerintaona Pronunciation: TRAH-tree nee tseen-geh-reen-TAH-oo-nah Note: Spoken in Madagascar, related to languages of Southeast Asia.
Maori: Rā whānau koa Pronunciation: rah FAH-now KOH-ah Note: Indigenous language of New Zealand.
Hawaiian: Hauʻoli lā hānau Pronunciation: how-OH-lee lah HAH-now Note: Indigenous language of Hawaii.
Samoan: Manuia le aso fanau Pronunciation: mah-noo-EE-ah leh AH-soh fah-NOW Note: Spoken in Samoa and American Samoa.
Tongan: 'Aho alofa Pronunciation: AH-hoh ah-LOH-fah Note: Spoken in Tonga.
Fijian: Nomuni siga ni sucu Pronunciation: noh-MOO-nee SEE-gah nee SOO-choo Note: Official language of Fiji.
Tahitian: Ia huritau papārā'au Pronunciation: ee-ah hoo-ree-TOW pah-pah-RAH-ow Note: Spoken in French Polynesia.
Navajo: Hozhǫǫgo nilį́ Pronunciation: hoh-ZHOHN-goh nee-LEE Note: Largest Native American language in the United States.
Nahuatl: Cualli tonaltin Pronunciation: KWAH-lee toh-NAHL-teen Note: Language of the Aztecs, still spoken in Mexico.
Quechua: Sumaq wata hunt'asqa kachun Pronunciation: SOO-mahk WAH-tah hoon-TAHS-kah KAH-choon Note: Indigenous language of the Andes.
Guaraní: Vy'apavê nde ára Pronunciation: vee-ah-pah-VEH ndeh AH-rah Note: Official language of Paraguay alongside Spanish.
Welsh: Pen-blwydd hapus Pronunciation: pen-BLOOTH HAH-pis Note: Celtic language spoken in Wales.
Irish (Gaelic): Lá breithe shona dhuit Pronunciation: law BREH-heh HUH-nah gwit Note: First official language of Ireland.
Scottish Gaelic: Co-là-breith sona dhut Pronunciation: koh-lah-BREH soh-nah ghoot Note: Spoken in parts of Scotland.
Breton: Deiz-ha-bloaz laouen Pronunciation: deyz-hah-BLOH-az LAH-wen Note: Celtic language spoken in Brittany, France.
Frisian: Lokkige jierdei Pronunciation: LOH-kih-kheh YEER-day Note: Spoken in northern Netherlands and Germany.
Luxembourgish: Alles Guddes fir däin Gebuertsdag Pronunciation: AH-les GOO-des feer dine geh-BOOR-tstaak Note: National language of Luxembourg.
Tibetan: སྐྱེས་སྐར་ལ་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས་ཞུ། (Kyé kar la trashi delek shü) Pronunciation: kyeh kahr lah trah-SHEE deh-lehk shoo Note: Spoken in Tibet and surrounding regions.
Uyghur: تۇغۇلغان كۈنىڭىزگە مۇبارەك (Tughulghan küningizge mubarek) Pronunciation: too-GHOOL-gahn koo-neen-geez-geh moo-bah-REHK Note: Turkic language spoken by Uyghurs in Central Asia.
Read also: Birthday Letter for Best Friend: How to Write a Meaningful Message
If you’re wondering whether all this was really needed, here’s why it is.
It Shows Genuine Effort: Anyone can send a generic "Happy Birthday" text. But taking the time to learn how to say it in someone's native language shows you've invested extra thought and care into their celebration. It demonstrates that you see them not just as a friend or colleague, but as someone whose cultural identity matters to you.
It Creates Emotional Connection: For people living far from their home country or cultural community, hearing their native language can be deeply moving. It's a small bridge back to their roots, their childhood, and the place that shaped them. Your birthday greeting in their language becomes more than words... it becomes a moment of recognition and belonging.
It Honors Their Heritage: Using someone's native language to wish them happy birthday is a form of respect. It acknowledges that their cultural background is an important part of who they are, not something to be overlooked or homogenized into the dominant culture.
It's Memorable: Standard birthday wishes are nice but often forgettable. A birthday greeting in an unexpected language? That stands out. It's the kind of gesture people remember and tell others about: "You won't believe what my friend did for my birthday..."
It Encourages Cultural Exchange: When you make the effort to learn happy birthday in other languages, you open doors for deeper conversations about culture, traditions, and experiences. It signals your openness to learning and your appreciation for diversity.
Before you start incorporating these international birthday wishes, here are some important tips to ensure your gesture lands well:
Pronunciation Matters: Take time to practice the pronunciation. A poorly pronounced greeting, while well-intentioned, can sometimes come across as careless. Listen to native speakers online if possible, and don't be afraid to ask the person or someone from their culture for help with pronunciation.
Context Is Important: Some cultures have specific birthday traditions or customs. In some countries, birthdays aren't celebrated as extensively as in Western culture. Do a bit of research about birthday customs in that culture to ensure your greeting aligns with their traditions.
Ask About Preferences: Some people who've lived in English-speaking countries for a long time prefer English greetings. Others deeply appreciate hearing their native language. If you're unsure, you can always ask: "Would you prefer I wish you happy birthday in [language] or English?"
Combine with Meaningful Message: While saying "Happy Birthday" in someone's language is wonderful, pair it with a genuine message in whatever language you both communicate in. The foreign greeting is the cherry on top, not a replacement for meaningful words. Check out our birthday message articles for inspiration on what to say beyond the greeting.
Be Prepared to Laugh at Yourself: You might mispronounce something. That's okay! Most people will appreciate your effort and find it endearing rather than offensive. Be humble, laugh at your mistakes, and accept corrections graciously.
Learn Cultural Context: In some cultures, birthday celebrations focus more on the family of the birthday person thanking others (like in Korea). In others, singing is essential. Understanding these nuances makes your greeting even more thoughtful.
Written vs. Spoken: Some languages have different levels of formality or age-based variations. The written form we provide is generally appropriate for most situations, but be aware that spoken birthday greetings might vary based on your relationship with the person.
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Now that you have this comprehensive list of how to say happy birthday in all languages (well, 100 of them!), here are creative ways to use these greetings:
Create a card that features "Happy Birthday" in multiple languages that are meaningful to the recipient:
If you're creating a birthday video (check out our guide on how to make a happy birthday video for tips), you could:
Make your social media birthday post stand out:
In diverse workplaces, celebrate inclusivity:
When distance separates you:
Understanding how different cultures celebrate birthdays can enhance your multilingual greeting:
In Mexico: "Las Mañanitas" is traditionally sung, and the birthday person's face might get pushed into the cake ("mordida").
In Korea: Seaweed soup (miyeok-guk) is traditionally eaten on birthdays, and age is calculated differently (everyone becomes a year older on New Year's Day).
In Vietnam: Everyone's birthday is celebrated on Tết (Vietnamese New Year), rather than individual birth dates, though this is changing with younger generations.
In Russia: Birthday wishes are given before the actual day for good luck, never after.
In China: Noodles symbolize long life and are traditionally eaten on birthdays.
In India: Many people touch the feet of elders on their birthday as a sign of respect and to receive blessings.
In Germany: It's considered bad luck to wish someone happy birthday before the actual day.
In Brazil: The birthday person gets their earlobes pulled (gently!) once for each year.
Knowing these traditions allows you to pair your multilingual greeting with culturally appropriate gestures or gifts.
Sometimes you might want to say more than just "Happy Birthday." Here are some useful additional phrases:
"Wishing you all the best":
"Have a great day":
"Many happy returns":
Learning how to say happy birthday in different languages is more than a linguistic party trick... it's a meaningful way to honor the diverse people in your life and celebrate the beautiful variety of human culture. In our globalized world, these small gestures of cultural acknowledgment create bridges between communities and show genuine respect for the backgrounds that shape our friends, family, and colleagues.
Whether you're wishing someone happy birthday in one of the 100 languages we've covered here, or you're inspired to learn even more greetings from languages around the world, remember that the effort itself is what matters most. Your pronunciation might not be perfect, and you might stumble over unfamiliar sounds, but the person receiving your greeting will appreciate the thought and care you put into celebrating them in a language close to their heart.
So next time a birthday comes around for someone from a different cultural background, take a few minutes to learn how to wish them a happy birthday in their native language. Pair it with a heartfelt message in whatever language you both communicate in (check out our birthday message guides for inspiration!), and watch their face light up when they hear those familiar sounds of home.
After all, birthdays are about making people feel special, seen, and celebrated. And there's no better way to do that than by honoring the language and culture that helped make them who they are.
Happy birthday in all the languages of the world, and may your celebrations be as diverse and beautiful as the global community we're all part of!
