There are several ways to express the idea in French. You should also know that not all French-speakers say it the same way, so you’ll learn a few expressions to make sure that you’re ready for any situation no matter where you are.
Let’s start with the two most common expressions for saying "happy birthday" in French. The first is more or less the standard in European French.
Joyeux anniversaire !
Happy Birthday!
The phrase is pronounced something like "zhwah-yeuh⤻zah-nee-veR-seR". Keep in mind that a liason occurs between the two words, so there’s a nice zzz sound at the beginning of anniversaire.
The other most common phrase to use on someone’s birthday is:
Bon anniversaire !
Happy Birthday!
While joyeux anniversaire means "happy birthday" in a more general way, bon anniversaire implies wishing the listener to experience a good birthday. Something like "have a good birthday".
As with joyeux anniversaire, a liason occurs and the last sound of the first word moves to the beginning of the second. So you should start the second part with an n sound.
Bon anniversaire
boh⤻nah-nee-veR-seR
In English, the words "anniversary" and "birthday" are quite distinct. In French, however, the word anniversaire fills in the space for both. So how do you tell them apart from each other?
If you see the word anniversaire by itself it probably means "birthday". The word for a wedding anniversary is anniversaire de mariage. So if you see the term gâteau d’anniversaire, you can assume that it’s a birthday cake rather than an anniversary cake, but either way you’re in for a treat.
Likewise the word anniversaire can be used for the anniversary of almost anything, but it will pretty much always have the preposition de behind it to tell you what.
The two expressions joyeux anniversaire and bon anniversaire are pretty typical for European French, but they are a lot less commonly used in French-speaking Canada. Across the Atlantic, the expression most often used is bonne fête ("bohn feht").
The phrase literally translates to "good party", but it’s the go-to way to say "happy birthday" in Canadian French.
Be aware though. While your meaning would be understood saying bon anniversaire in Canada, you can’t use bonne fête in Europe. There the phrase bonne fête is used to celebrate a person’s name day (Saint day) and unless the odds are really in your favor, it won’t be the same as their birthday.
Nobody’s perfect and dates can be hard to remember. So what happens if you have to wish your French-speaking friends a belated birthday. It’s actually pretty simple. Take the phrase joyeux anniversaire that you already know and simply add en retard (belated, late) at the end.
Joyeux Anniversaire en retard !
Happy Belated Birthday!
You might like that just as in English, the French expressions for "happy birthday" are quite consistent. However, you might also want to mix things up and have a few other ways to say "happy birthday" in French so that you stand out a bit. So, we’ll go over a few for you now.
Have a good birthday
Self-explanatory.
Have a wonderful day
This can work as a nice replacement.
Best wishes
Meilleurs vœux is mostly used to say "best wishes" in writing, but you can sometimes hear it spoken French as well.
Congratulations
Simple and easy.
Since someone you know is having a birthday, you can ask them how old they are. In some countries, questions of age are sometimes danced around or avoided, but in French, there’s no problem with being direct about it.
The question you should ask translates literally to "what age do you have?" Remember that in French you express age with the verb avoir. You can think of it as ‘having’ years and age. So with someone you’re close with you could ask:
Quel âge as-tu?
How old are you now?
Of course, if you need to ask the question to someone that you have a bit more social distance with, you can make it more formal with the vous-form.
Quel âge avez-vous?
How old are you?
When someone answers, they’ll respond with how many years they "have".
J’ai 29 ans.
I’m twenty-nine.
Ils ont 7 ans.
They are 7 years old.
Le 10 juin, je vais avoir 33 ans.
On June 10th, I’ll be 33.
Now that you’ve gotten more familiar with how to say "happy birthday" in French, what do you say next? Well, if you’ve been invited to the birthday party, then there's going to be a lot of other vocabulary that you should also know.
Let’s start with some of the most common things you might see at une fête d’anniversaire:
une fête d’anniversaire
a birthday party
un cadeau d’anniversaire
a birthday gift
un gâteau d’anniversaire
a birthday cake
une carte d’anniversaire
a birthday card
des bougies
candles
For the French, le gâteau d’anniversaire is quite a simple affair. Don’t expect frosting and elaborate decorations on the cake. Instead, you’re more likely to get a minimalist gâteau with more subtle flavours of fruit and/or nuts. Tarts are also quite common.
To give you an idea, we’ve laid out some common dessert vocabulary for those of you with a sweet tooth to enjoy:
Le gâteau au yaourt
yoghurt cake
Le gâteau marbré
chocolate marble cake
Le gâteau au chocolat
chocolate cake
La tarte aux fruits
fruit tart
Of course when the cake comes out, people will often sing the "happy birthday" song. In the French-speaking world, there are two well known songs for this part of the birthday party.
The first is rather simple. It's really just the phrase joyeux anniversaire repeated four times. But can use it to practice your liaisons and the vowel sound of the French -eux.
Joyeux anniversaire
Joyeux anniversaire
Joyeux anniversaire (name of the Birthday person)
Joyeux anniversaire
Of course, if you find yourself in French-speaking Canada, then you need to swap out joyeux anniversaire for its Quebecois counterpart. As with the previous song, the words are simple and you can learn them on the ride over to party:
Bonne fête à toi
Bonne fête à toi
Bonne fête à (name of the birthday person)
Bonne fête à toi
The other "happy birthday" song is a bit more complex and will definitely take you a bit longer to learn:
Joyeux anniversaire
Heureux anniversaire
Tous nos vœux sont sincères
Pour ton anniversaire
Tes amis aujourd’hui
Se sont tous réunis
Ton bonheur on l’espère
Pour ton anniversaire
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
All our most sincere wishes
For your birthday
Today, your friends
Have all come together
To wish you cheer
For your birthday
So there you have it. You should be ready to wish someone a good birthday no matter where you find yourself and what kind of French speaker you find yourself with. Now you can feel confident to go up to your Francophone friends and family to wish them a very bon anniversaire.
Learn French in context with Clozemaster
Clozemaster has been designed to help you learn the language in context by filling in the gaps in authentic sentences. With features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in French.
How to Say Happy Birthday in Chinese
生日快乐 – shēngrì kuàilè : Happy Birthday (lit. Birth – Day – Happy)
祝你生日快乐 – zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè : Wish you a Happy Birthday (lit. Wish – You – Birth – Day – Happy)
However, there are many other was to say happy birthday in Chinese that you can impress your friends with even more.
(if you’re looking for the standard phrases, those are the ones to go for! And also the ones to feature in the chinese happy birthday song – see below!)
Happy Birthday in Chinese for Children
• 生日快乐 – shēngrì kuàilè
Happy Birthday!
• 希望你健康快乐地长大xī wàng nǐ jiàn kāng kuài lè de zhǎng dà
I hope you grow up to be healthy and happy!
Happy Birthday in Chinese for Young/Middle-Aged Females
• 祝你生日快乐，年年十八zhù nǐ shēnɡ rì kuài lè, nián nián shí bā
Wish you a happy birthday, may you live as young as years old every year.
• 祝你生日快乐，越来越靓zhù nǐ shēnɡ rì kuài lè, yuè lái yuè jìng
Happy birthday to you, wish you more and more beautiful.
Happy Birthday in Chinese for the Elderly
• 祝你福如东海，寿比南山Zhù nǐ fú rú dōng hǎi, shòu bǐ nán shān
May your fortune be as boundless as the East Sea and your life is as long as the Nan Shan.
• 祝你年年有今日，岁岁有今朝Zhù nǐ nián nián yǒu jīn rì, suì suì yǒu jīn zhāo.
You have this day (can celebrate your birthday) every year in the future.
Happy Birthday in Chinese to Friends
If you want to say happy birthday in Chinese to friends with more emphasis (or you really want to show off that much), you can add in a couple of chengyu;
• 心想事成, xīn xiǎng shì chéng
May all your wishes come true.
• 天天快乐, tiān tiān kuài lè
I hope you’re happy every day.
• 祝你生日快乐，天天快乐，心想事成, zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè, tiān tiān kuài lè, xīn xiǎng shì chéng
Happy birthday to you! I hope that you are happy every day and that all your wishes come true.
Talking about a Birthday in Chinese
你几岁了？nǐ jǐ suì le？
How old are you now?
你属什么的？nǐ shǔ shén me de?
你的生日是什么时候？Nǐ de shēngrì shì shénme shíhòu?
When is your birthday?
你平时怎么过生日？Nǐ píngshí zěnmeguò shēngrì?
What do you usually do to celebrate your birthday?
我打算跟朋友一起去酒吧喝酒/去餐厅吃饭。Wǒ dǎsuàn gēn péngyǒu yīqǐ qù jiǔbā hējiǔ/qù cāntīng chīfàn.
I plan to go to a bar/restaurant with my friends.
你的生日愿望是什么?， nǐ de shēng rì yuàn wàng shì shén me
What is your birthday wish？
我__岁了, wǒ __ suì le
I am __ years old.
你要吃蛋糕吗? nǐ yào dàn gāo ma？
Do you want cake?
谢谢你的礼物， xiè xiè nǐ de lǐ wù
Thank you for the present.
Happy Birthday in Chinese Song
• 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè)
• Happy Birthday to You
• 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè)
• Happy Birthday to You
• 祝你幸福， 祝你健康 (zhù nǐ xìng fú, zhù nǐ jiàn kāng)
• Here’s to your happiness, Here’s to your good health
• 祝你前途光明 (zhù nǐ qián tú guāng míng)
• May your future be bright
• 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè)
• Happy Birthday to You
• 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè)
• Happy Birthday to You
• 祝你幸福， 祝你健康 (zhù nǐ xìng fú, zhù nǐ jiàn kāng)
• Here’s to your happiness, Here’s to your good health
• 有个温暖家庭 (yǒu gè wēn nuǎn jiā tíng)
• Here’s to your family.
Chinese Birthday Traditions
Chinese people may not celebrate their birthday’s as much as in some western countries, but saying happy birthday in Chinese is something you’re bound to come across a lot.
Chinese people usually celebrate their birthdays much quieter than other countries, getting a few friends or family together, and often only really celebrating big important birthdays.
Traditionally, Chinese people would eat longevity noodles.
This is common in a few Asian countries and comes from the fact that the noodles are long and therefore represent long life. These noodles are called 寿面 (shòu miàn).
Nowadays, younger people look towards the west and celebrate in a similar way.
Birthday cake is becoming the norm and people are celebrating with much larger parties – and every year, instead of traditionally just big birthdays for significant years.
Despite this, celebrating a birthday in China is still kept as an important family event, especially so for newborns and the elderly.
Chinese Birthday Gifts
Once you’ve learnt how to say happy birthday in Chinese to your good Chinese friend, you’ll want to pay attention to some important gift-giving rules in China. (Look back up for the word for birthday present in Chinese).
China, a country still shrouded by traditions and suspicions, has some pretty strict rules for what not to give for a birthday present.
Good gifts for Chinese people basically involve all of the normal stuff. For example, chocolates, cosmetics, clothing, etc.
Bad Chinese Birthday Gifts
• Clocks
Clocks represent time, so giving a clock could suggest that time is running out. The Chinese words meaning to ‘give a clock’ 送鐘 (sòng zhōng) sounds like (or exactly the same actually) 送終 (sòng zhōng) which means to pay one’s last respects.
• Towels
Towels are often given out at funerals, so these are best avoided to avoid association.
• White/yellow chrysanthemums
These are usually given at funerals.
Another interesting example… don't get a mirror! Why?
A mirror is a bad gift in China because they are seen to attract ghosts, so avoid giving these as gifts!
Who knew!
Birthday in Chinese – FAQ's
How do you say Happy Birthday in Chinese?Happy Birthday in Chinese is 生日快乐 – shēngrì kuàilè
How do you say gift in Chinese?Gift in Chinese is 礼物 Lǐwù
How do you say “When is your birthday” in Chinese? What is a bad birthday gift in Chinese?Clocks and shoes because they have bad homophones
Also towels and white/yellow chrysanthemums
Is it true Chinese like to eat noodles on their birthday?It is! Traditionally, Chinese people would eat longevity noodles on their birthday.
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Our LTL Team's are based in Beijing (HQ), Shanghai, Taiwan, Beihai, Chengdu, Xi'an, Singapore and Chengde! A mix of Chinese and foreign staff, we now boast over 50 staff members!
You will get a reply from us
So weird about the bad gifts, not sure who buys clocks as gifts anyway
Another great anecdote about Chinese culture! Such a deep history with so much to discover Harry.
What about Merry Christmas?
Do you have a Christmas blog also?
THanks for the flashcards! really useful
Our pleasure Alisha!
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Looking for the right words to express Happy 90th birthday wishes? Wondering what to write in a 90th birthday card? Try one of these cheerful quotes or greetings!
You can also download these 90th birthday greeting cards for free – just click on any image and it will open in a new window, ready for you to print.
Funny 90th Birthday Wishes
Make your favorite senior laugh out loud with one of these funny 90th birthday quotes!
• Lucky for you, vintage is in. Happy 90th Birthday!
• You're not old, you're a classic.
• I'm not saying that you're old…but your candles cost more than your birthday cake!
• Everyone gets to be young once. Your turn is over!
• It's your 90th birthday – feel free to wine if you want!
• I hope I'm as wonderful as you are when I turn 90…even just half as wonderful would be great.
• On your 90th birthday, remember – age is only important if you're a cheese.
• A true friend knows how old you are…and stays for the party anyway. Happy 90th Birthday!
• Don't get all weird about growing older. Our age is simply the number of years the world has been enjoying us.
• May your 90th birthday be filled with magic moments…and lots of merlot!
• Happy 90th birthday to my best friend! Here's to another year of laughing at our own jokes and keeping each other sane!
• Like fine wine, we get better with age. Or maybe we just feel better about our age with lots of wine. Happy 90th Birthday!
• Take every birthday with a grain of salt. Of course, this works best if the salt is accompanied by a margarita.
• A little medical advice for your 90th birthday. Eat lots of birthday cake – it's good for you! Studies have shown that the more birthday cakes you've gotten, the longer you live.
• Happy 90th Birthday to someone who is forever young!
• At 90, you're still playing with a full deck. Who cares if you shuffle a little slower?
• Thinking about getting a tattoo for your 90th birthday? The best bet would be your name and address.
• On your 90th birthday, remember: you're only as old as you feel. So don't go around feeling old people.
• Don't think of it as turning 90…think of it as turning 18 with 72 years of experience.
• You'll never be old as long as your mind is young and your heart is pure. In other words, you're screwed!
• 90?? Don't panic – you've still got it! The hard part is remembering where it is.
• Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter! Happy 90th Birthday!
• You're not getting older…you're increasing in value. Have a fabulous 90th birthday!
• With age comes new skills. Now that you're 90, you can laugh, cough, sneeze and pee all at the same time!
• Turning 90? Keep in mind – you're only as old as you remember you are!
• Don't let turning 90 get you down…because it's way too hard to get back up again!
• Just think of 90 as 9 perfect 10s!
• If things really do get better with age, then you're approaching perfection! Happy 90th Birthday!
• Age and glasses of wine should never be counted.
• Don't pout because you have 90 candles on your cake. Just be glad you have the strength to blow the damn things out!
• Birthdays are good for your health! Studies have proven that people who have more birthdays live longer.
Sentimental 90th Birthday Wishes
This is the perfect occasion to let your favorite senior know how much you care about them. Try using one of these sentimental 90th birthday quotes to express your feelings of friendship and love.
• When you look back over 90 years, I hope that your memories are warm ones. When you celebrate today, I hope that your heart is filled with love and joy. When you look forward to the future, I hope that all your dreams and wishes come true.
• I hope your 90th birthday is just as special as you are.
• Congratulations on your 90th birthday! You are truly an inspiration, and I feel so blessed to have you in my life.
• May you have a happy and healthy 90th birthday! I hope you enjoy many more beautiful days ahead of you.
• I'm so lucky to have someone as special as you in my life. On your 90th birthday, I hope that you are blessed with love, health and happiness.
• Happy 90th Birthday! It's wonderful being able to share such a special birthday with someone like you. You have a heart of gold, and are so warm, loving and kind to everyone you know. I'm so glad that we have such precious memories to share.
• You've gathered 90 years of amazing memories. I hope your birthday is a day full of new fun and surprises.
• Count your days by smiles, not tears. Count your age by friends, not years. Wishing you a joy-filled 90th birthday!
• I hope your 90th birthday is full of sunshine and rainbows, love and laughter. You deserve the best day ever!
90th Birthday Wishes for Mom
Looking for just the right Happy 90th birthday message for Mom? She'll love one of these sweet quotes!
• Your 90th birthday is a milestone that makes me realize that my love and respect for you grow stronger each day. Happy birthday to the best Mom ever!
• Sending you a 90th birthday wish that's wrapped up with all my love!
• Mom, Happy 90th Birthday! I hope your birthday is as bright as your smile, as sweet as your love, as fun as your spirit, and as wonderful as you are. Thanks so much for always being there for me.
• We have the perfect mother and daughter relationship. You're my mother, and I'm perfect. Hope your 90th birthday is filed with laughter and love!
• Happy 90th birthday to my amazing Mom! You're not only my mother, but you're my best friend. There is no one in the world that could ever take your place, and you mean more to me than you will ever know.
• I hope that the suns shines as brightly on your birthday as your love has always shone on me. Happy 90th birthday to the most loving mom ever!
• On your 90th birthday, I hope that you enjoy all the beauty and love that surrounds love. Thank you for being such a special part of my life.
• Thank you for being my heart's first home. I wish you the most amazing 90th birthday ever!
• You are more than just a mother to me…You are my guidance, my strength, my teacher and my best friend. Thank you for giving me all the best in my life! Happy 90th Birthday, Mom!
• Of all the moms in the world, I'm so grateful that I got you. I hope your 80th birthday is unforgettable!
• Happy 90th birthday, Mom! Now that I'm older, I want to thank you for never leaving me in a shopping cart and running away. That must have been tempting.
90th Birthday Wishes for Dad
Send Dad one of these cheerful 90th birthday greetings.
• Dear Dad, It's like you just turned 18. 72 years ago, that is. Happy 90th birthday!
• Happy 90th birthday to the greatest man in the world: my friend, my protector, my father.
• God must have sent you into my life so that I would always have love in my heart. I wish you the most amazing 90th birthday ever, Dad!
• Happy 90th Birthday, Dad! I wish you a fabulous birthday, because you are a fabulous Dad. Enjoy your special day!
• I'm thinking of you and all the wonderful times we've shared. Thank you for so many amazing memories and experiences! Happy 90th Birthday, Dad!
• As each year passes, I realize just how luck I am to have such a wonderful father like you. You will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope your 90th birthday is just as wonderful as you are!
• Having a Dad like you has made my life so much happier and more complete. I've learned so much from you, and I treasure every moment and lesson. On your 90th birthday, I want to thank you for all that you've done for me. I love you, Dad
• Superheroes are one in a million. An amazing Dad like you is one in a lifetime. Thanks for everything! Happy 90th birthday, Dad!
• Before you blow out the candles on your 90th birthday cake, I hope you'll take a moment to remember what a wonderful father and friend you are. I'm so blessed to have you in my life.
• No gift can ever match the love and affection you've given me all the years of my life. Have a fabulous 90th birthday, Dad!
• Dear Dad, Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Thank you for believing in me and always being there when I need it most. I hope you have the most joyous 90th birthday ever!
90th Birthday Wishes for Grandma
Looking for cute quotes for Grandma's 90th birthday? Here are some wonderful ideas:
• Happy 90th Birthday, Grandma! You make the world a better place to live in – a place full of happiness and joy simply be spreading your immense love and care. Thanks for everything!
• Thinking loving thoughts of you, Grandma – and wishing you a 90th birthday that's as special as you are!
• On your birthday, I'd like to say how much I appreciate all the little things you've done for me that have always made such a difference in my life. Wishing you a happy 90th birthday!
• Happy 90th birthday to the world's best Grandma!
• God has truly blessed our family with you, Grandma. I hope all your birthday wishes come true!
90th Birthday Wishes for Grandpa
• You are the coolest Grandpa in town. Happy 90th Birthday! Love from your favorite grandchild,
• Grandpa, I hope your 90th birthday is filled with love, joy, fun and laughter. I am so thankful to have you as my grandfather!
• All the wonderful times I've spent with you will be sweet memories for the rest of my life. You are such an inspiration to me!
• The best Grandpa in the world deserves a special greeting from his favorite grandchild. Happy 90th birthday, Grandpa!
• You've brought so much joy and happiness to my life. I love you, Grandpa – Happy 90th birthday!
How to Send a 90th Birthday Message from the President
Did you know that the President of the United States will send a birthday card to any citizen who is 80 or older? (Military veterans are actually eligible at 70).
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• Funny 90th Birthday Wishes
• Sentimental 90th Birthday Wishes
• 90th Birthday Wishes for Mom
• 90th Birthday Wishes for Dad
• 90th Birthday Wishes for Grandma
• 90th Birthday Wishes for Grandpa
• How to Send a 90th Birthday Message from the President