In Portuguese, the most used word to congratulate someone is PARABÉNS! (CONGRATULATIONS!) This word can be used in any situation.
For example, if someone is celebrating a birthday, got a new job, or is going to have a baby, we can just say "Parabéns!" ("Congratulations!")
In addition to the word "Parabéns!", we usually add other sentences to indicate what you wish to that person in that special situation.
Here are some sentences you can use to congratulate someone who is celebrating a birthday.
- Meus parabéns! Tudo de bom! (Congratulations! I wish you all the best!)
- Parabéns! Muitas felicidades! Muitos anos de vida! (Congratulations! I wish you a lot of happiness and long life!)
- Parabéns! Desejo muita paz e muita saúde! (Congratulations! I wish you a lot of peace and good health!)
- Meus parabéns! Que seu dia seja perfeito! (Congratulations! May your day be perfect!)
- Meus parabéns! Aproveite o seu dia! (Congratulations! Enjoy your day!)
Another very common sentence used to congratulate a person who is celebrating a birthday is FELIZ ANIVERSÁRIO! ( HAPPY BIRTHDAY!).
You can also add other sentences to indicate what you wish to that person for their birthday. Here are some examples:
- Feliz aniversário! Muitas felicidades! Muitos anos de vida! (Happy Birthday! I wish you a lot of happiness and long life!)
- Feliz aniversário! Tudo de bom! Que todos seus sonhos se realizem! (Happy Birthday! I wish you all the best! May all your dreams come true!)
- Feliz aniversário! Desejo que você seja muito feliz e tenha muita saúde! (Happy Birthday! I wish you a lot of happiness and good health!)
Different from English, in Portuguese, the word "aniversário" means both "birthday" and "anniversary," so we can say "Happy anniversary!" to congratulate someone on their birthday or wedding anniversary, but when we refer to a wedding anniversary, we are usually specific and say:
- Feliz aniversário de casamento! (Happy Wedding Anniversary!)
Now let's talk a little bit about how to congratulate a person in other situations, such as when someone gets a new job, passes a test, gets married, or buys a new house.
Let's look at some examples of sentences you can use in many different contexts:
- Parabéns! Você merece! (Congratulations! You deserve it!)
- Parabéns pela conquista! (Congratulations on the achievement!)
- Parabéns! Boa sorte nessa nova etapa! (Congratulations! Best of luck in this new phase!
- Tudo de bom pra você! (All the best to you!)
- Parabéns! Desejo muito sucesso! (Congratulations! I wish you a lot of success!)
- Parabéns! Estou muito feliz por você! (Congratulations! I'm very happy for you!)
To be specific, you can also say "parabéns por (congratulations on)..." something. But pay attention to a grammar detail, if the next word is:
- A feminine noun, you should say "parabéns PELA (congratulations on)".
- A masculine noun, you should say "parabéns PELO (congratulations on)"
- A verb, you can say "parabéns POR (congratulations on)".
Some examples:
- Parabéns pelo casamento! (Congratulations on your wedding!)
- Parabéns pelo novo emprego! (Congratulations on your new job!)
- Parabéns pela casa nova! (Congratulations on the new house!)
- Parabéns pela iniciativa! (Congratulations on the initiative!)
- Parabéns por ter passado no teste! (Congratulations on passing the test!)
- Parabéns por ser um estudante dedicado! (Congratulations on being a dedicated student!)
That's it, guys! Now it's homework time! Write a sentence below congratulating a friend on their birthday or another situation that deserves to be celebrated.
Até a próxima!
Your teacher,
Virginia
We wish you many happy returns of the day
Tune: BIRTHDAY (Shaw)
Published in 1 hymnal
Representative Text
1 We wish you many happy returns of the day!
We hope you may be health and strong all the way,
Strong to do right,
Slow to do wrong,
And thoughtful of others all the day long.
2 We wish you many happy returns of the day!
May God the Lord protect you in work and in play,
Watching in love
All that you do
And leading your footsteps all the year through.
Source: The Children's Hymnbook #185
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Text Information
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First Line:
We wish you many happy returns of the day
Title:
We Wish You Many Happy Returns
Language:
English
Public Domain
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Display Title: We wish you many happy returns of the day! First Line: We wish you many happy returns of the day! Tune Title: BIRTHDAY : Percy Dearmer, 1837-1936; Marie J. Post Date: 1962
1 We wish you many happy returns of the day!
We hope you may be health and strong all the way,
Strong to do right,
Slow to do wrong,
And thoughtful of others all the day long.
2 We wish you many happy returns of the day!
May God the Lord protect you in work and in play,
Watching in love
All that you do
And leading your footsteps all the year through.
Chances are you’re here because you want to wish a friend a happy birthday in Italian in a way that your message will be well received.
In Italy, we love to celebrate special occasions and anniversaries, so learning how to say happy birthday is essential if you want to have a great social life.compiere in Italian, and, of course, sing the Happy birthday song in Italian, a must for every party.
And, if that’s not enough, we’re also going to learn about some Italian birthday traditions and FAQs.
Let’s get started!
How to say "Happy Birthday!" in Italian
There are two main ways of wishing someone a happy birthday in Italian:
• Buon compleanno!
This literally translates as "good birthday" and it can be used on its own or in combination with:
• Tanti auguri!
which means many wishes. You could say, for example:
• Tanti auguri di buon compleanno!
Many wishes for a good birthday!
Of course, there are many variants of these phrases too. Let’s see some of them.
English
Italian
Italian pronunciation
Happy birthday!
Buon compleanno!
Boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh!
Happy birthday!
Tanti auguri!
Tahn-tee ah-oo-gooh-ree!
Belated happy birthday!
Auguri in ritardo!
Ah-oo-gooh-ree een ree-tar-doh
Thanks for being born!
Grazie di esistere!
Grah-tsee-eh dee eh-zee-steh-reh!
Happy birthday my love.
Buon compleanno, amore mio.
Boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh, ah-moh-reh mee-oh
Happy birthday, brother/sister/mom/dad.
Buon compleanno, fratello/sorella/mamma/papà.
Boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh, frah-tell-oh/soh-rell-ah/mahm-mah/pah-pàh
Happy birthday grandma/grandpa.
Buon compleanno, nonna/nonno.
Boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh, john-nah/nohn-noh
One hundred more of these days!
Cento di questi giorni!
Chen-toh dee kwess-tee jor-nee
Wishing you a very happy birthday!
Tanti auguri di buon compleanno!
Tahn-tee ah-oo-gooh-ree dee boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh
Happy birthday my friend.
Buon compleanno amico/a mio/a.
Boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh, ah-mee-koh/ah-mee-kah mee-oh/mee-ah
Best birthday wishes to you!
I migliori auguri di buon compleanno!
Ee mee-llyoh-ree ah-oo-goo-ree dee com-pleh-ann-noh
Happy birthday beautiful!
Buon compleanno, bello/a!
Boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh, bell-oh/bell-ah!
Happy 21st/ 30th/40th/50th etc. birthday
Buon 21esimo/30esimo compleanno
Boo-on vehn-too-neh-zee-moh com-pleh-ann-noh
Hope all your wishes come true!
Spero che tutti i tuoi desideri si avverino!
Speh-roh keh too-tee ee too-oh-ee deh-zee-deh-ree see ah-veh-ree-noh
I wish you a happy birthday!
Ti auguro un buon compleanno!
Tee ah-oo-goo-roh oon boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh
Happy birthday, have a good one!
Buon compleanno, divertiti!
Boo-on com-pleh-ann-noh, dee-verr-tee-tee
Auguri is translated as "wishes" and it can be used for other special occasions, too.
• Auguri di Buon Natale
Merry Christmas
• Auguri di Buon Anno
Happy New Year
• Auguri per la festa del papà
Happy Father's Day
"When is your birthday?" and the verb compiere in Italian
If you’re talking about birthdays, it’s good to know the verb compiere (com-pyeh-reh) in Italian, which means "to turn" (referred to years).
Here’s the conjugation of compiere:
• Io compio (com-pyoh)
• Tu compi (com-peeh)
• Lui/lei compie (com-pyeh)
• Noi compiamo (com-pyah-moh)
• Voi compiete (com-pyeh-te)
• Loro compiono (com-pyoh-noh)
When you ask someone when their birthday is in Italian, you need to use this verb:
• Quando compi gli anni?
(When is your birthday? - Lit. "When do you turn years?")
• Compio gli anni il 24 giugno.
(It is on the 24th of June. - Lit. "I turn years on the 24th of June.)
Here are some more useful expressions that you can learn to ask and talk about birthdays:
English
Italian
Italian pronunciation
When is your birthday?
Quand’è il tuo compleanno?
Kwan-dèh eel too-oh com-pleh-ann-noh
My birthday is…
Il mio compleanno è il …
Eel mee-oh com-pleh-ann-noh èh
How old do you turn?
Quanti anni compi?
Kwan-tee ahn-nee com-pee?
I turn…
Ne compio…
Neh com-pee-oh…
How old are you?
Quanti anni hai?
Kwan-tee ann-nee ah-ee?
I am…
Ho … anni.
Oh … ann-nee
What year were you born?
Di che anno sei?
Dee keh ann-noh seh-ee
I was born in…
Sono del…
Soh-noh dell…
You don’t show them!
Non li dimostri!
Non lee dee-most-ree
You carry them well!
Li porti bene!
Lee por-tee beh-neh
You look younger!
Sembri più giovane!
Sem-bree pee-ooh joh-vah-neh
What would you like for your birthday?
Cosa vuoi per il tuo compleanno?
Coh-sah voo-oh-ee per eel too-oh com-pleh-ann-noh
The birthday boy/girl
Il festeggiato / la festeggiata
Eel fess-teh-jah-toh
The present
Il regalo
Eel reh-gah-loh
The cake
La torta
Lah torr-tah
The candles
Le candeline
Leh can-deh-lee-neh
To blow the candles
Spegnere le candeline
Spe-nyeh-re leh can-deh-lee-neh
To make a wish
Esprimere un desiderio
Ess-pree-meh-reh oon deh-zee-deh-ree-oh
To make a toast
Fare un brindisi
Fah-reh oon breen-dee-zee
Birthday party
Festa di compleanno
Fess-tah dee com-pleh-ann-noh
Surprise party
Festa a sorpresa
Fess-tah ah sor-preh-zah
To celebrate a birthday
Festeggiare il compleanno
Fess-teh-jah-reh eel com-pleh-ann-noh
To wish a happy birthday
Fare gli auguri di compleanno
Fah-reh lly ah-oo-goo-ree dee com-pleh-ann-noh
To pull the ears
Tirare le orecchie*
Tee-rah-reh leh oh-rek-kyeh
*more on this in the "Italian birthday traditions" section
Happy birthday in Italian song with lyrics
What kind of birthday would it be if you don’t sing a birthday song for the festeggiato?
In Italian, the classic birthday song "happy birthday to you" uses the expression "tanti auguri a te", and not "buon compleanno"!
It goes like this:
Tanti auguri a te,
Tanti auguri a te,
Tanti auguri (name)
Tanti auguri a te!
Tanti Auguri
This isn’t a specific birthday song; in fact, it is often sung at graduations or other parties, but if you find yourself at a birthday party, it might well come up, and if you know it, sing along!
Happy birthday in Italian lyrics goes like this:
Perché è un bravo ragazzo, (For he’s a jolly good fellow x3)
Perché è un bravo ragazzo,
Perché è un bravo ragazzo….
Nessuno lo può negar! (Which nobody can deny!)
How to write a happy birthday card message in Italian
On a birthday card in Italian you can let your creativity loose. You can keep things simple and just say "auguri", or you can praise the person’s qualities and virtues before wishing them a good life with the super classic: cento di questi giorni. (A hundred of these days.)
If you want to wish someone something, you can use the expression ti auguro… which literally means "I wish for you…/ I hope"
• Ti auguro di raggiungere tutti i tuoi obiettivi!
I hope you can reach all your objectives!
• Ti auguro tanto amore e felicità!
I wish you a lot of love and happiness.
At the end of the card, you can repeat Buon compleanno! and send them a hug (un abbraccio), a kiss (un bacio) or love (con amore).
Italian birthday traditions
Here are some traditions of an Italian compleanno. Some might be common in other countries, but others are a bit more unique!
• Non fare gli auguri in anticipo
Don’t say happy birthday in advance! This might sound strange, but Italians find it is bad luck to tell someone happy birthday in advance. It is better to be late than early in this case!
• La torta di compleanno
Of course, there is no birthday without a cake! In Italy, it is usually the festeggiato/a who picks it or makes it
• Spegnere le candeline
When the cake is served, of course, all the lights will go off and the candles lit. The birthday boy or girl will have to blow them and…
• Esprimere un desiderio
At the moment you blow out the candles, remember to think about your birthday wish (but don’t say it out loud!)
• Tirare le orecchie
This is probably the weirdest Italian birthday tradition… We pull the festeggiato/a’s earlobes as many times as the age they’re turning, sometimes counting out loud, and with various degrees of pain, based on your relationship to the guest of honor!
• Offrire da bere / da mangiare
In many countries, you get treated to food and drinks on your birthday. In Italy, it is the opposite! If the birthday girl or boy invites guests out for drinks, she or he is expected to pay for everyone!
• Compiere 18 anni
Turning 18 is the biggest milestone in terms of Italian birthdays. When you’re a teenager, that’s a big deal. You will now be maggiorenne (of age) and therefore able to get your driving license, travel abroad without special arrangements and get drinks in bars and pubs!
Italian happy birthday: what you need to know
1. Should happy birthday be capitalized in Italian?
Il mio compleanno, che è il 25 gennaio, quest’anno cade di lunedì.
My birthday, which is on the 25th of January, this year falls on a Monday.
2. Should you text your ex happy birthday?
Well, in Italy it is actually quite common to stay friends with ex-partners, and even a simple tanti auguri can show you remember them kindly. I’d say, why not?!
3. Is it better to say "tanti auguri" or "buon compleanno?"
There is no difference really between the two expressions. If you’re not sure which one you want to use, just combine them, as we showed above: tanti auguri di buon compleanno!
Cento di questi giorni…
Now you'll be able to wish someone special a happy birthday in Italian, celebrate and sing with your friends, and enjoy some birthday cake.
Remember, practicing is key when learning Italian, so go out there and ask all the native speakers you know to tell you about their Italian birthdays, and don’t be afraid of making mistakes, sbagliando s’impara!
Auguri!
When (and How) to Use ‘Wish You All the Best’
You’re looking for a way to end a letter with a warm—but not overly warm—closing. You want to let your friend know, as she sets out on a new adventure, that you hope she has the best possible experience.
You might sign your letter with a friendly send-off: "Wish you all the best."
But when else is it suitable to use this sign-off? And how do you know when this closing is better than using "Warm regards" or another similar phrase?
First, let’s examine the root of this closing: the longer, complete sentence, "I wish you all the best of luck."
Distinguishing Between ‘All the Best’ and ‘Best of Luck’
In the spirit of brevity, the sign-off, "I wish you all the best of luck," has been shortened to two distinct closings that we now use interchangeably:
• "All the best"
• "Best of luck"
While "All the best" may seem like a generic, farewell closing and "Best of luck" might refer to something more specific, it’s unlikely anyone would find fault with either phrase. Both are merely ellipses of the longer sentence that unites the two:
• I wish you all the best of luck.
• I wish you all the best of luck.
So, What’s the Best Context to Use the Phrase?
Since "Wish you all the best" can work in a variety of ways—shorter or longer, formally or informally—it's up to you to determine if it’s the right closing for your letter.
When weighing your options, you can also look at this list of common closings, ranging from very warm to very formal .
• Affectionately yours,
• Warmly,
• Warm regards,
• Warm wishes,
• Best wishes,
• With thanks,
• Kind regards,
• Best regards,
• Sincerely,
• Respectfully,
As you can see, "Wish you all the best" combines two of the closings near the middle of this list, making it a great compromise of formal and warm.
Here are some common scenarios when "Wish you all the best" is appropriate:
• When your neighbor is graduating from dental school
• When your colleague is leaving your company for a new position
• When your college roommate gets married
As long as you are wishing your recipient the best in their future, it’s acceptable to use the phrase both as a universal sendoff and as a more personalized ending.
No matter which sendoff you go for, your closing should reflect your writing style, relationship with the recipient and, of course, the content of your letter.