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!
Levels
What is the best message for a friend’s birthday?
The best message for a friend’s birthday is one that reflects your relationship with this person. Do you have a ton of fun together? Then send them something goofy that references a wild time you’ve had with them. Have they changed your life with their friendship? Maybe pen a few examples of how your relationship has changed you for the better. Whatever you write, make sure it comes from the heart!
What do you write on a birthday card?
A birthday card doesn’t need to be complicated but it should contain the following elements:
• A greeting: This can be as simple as stating "Happy birthday!" right up at the top.
• Best wishes: This section should include your key birthday message as well as reflections on your friendship, thoughts about this person, or hopes for their future.
• Closing message: You can end the card with a suggestion to spend time together soon or mention a gift you got them or are sending them in the mail.
30 Classic and short birthday wishes for a friend
Create cards for the people in your life with these thoughtful standards that fit well in any celebration message.
• Thank you for always being a friend I can count on. Happy birthday!
• Wishing my bestie the absolute best on their b-day!
• Cheers to more fun, more memories, and more cake! Happy birthday!
• I can’t think of a better gift than your friendship — happy birthday!
• Cheers to another trip around the sun! Keep on shining, bestie.
• You’re the brightest star in the galaxy! Happy birthday!
• Wishing my favorite partner in crime a very scandalous birthday!
• Happy birthday to my best friend in the whole wide world.
• Cheers to your own personal new year — let’s make it one for the books!
• You make our world a better and brighter place — happy birthday love!
• Enjoy your special day to the fullest, bestie!
• Wishing you a fantastic birthday and a wonderful year ahead.
• Today we celebrate you! Happy birthday to a real one.
• I hope all your wishes come true! Happy birthday!
• Wishing you nothing but love and happiness on your special day!
• I hope your birthday is as special as you are, friend!
• Go bestie, it’s your birthday!
• Get the cake and confetti ready, it’s time to celebrate the best person ever!
• May all your wishes come true today and always.
• Happy cake day, babe!
• It’s your special day — get out there and celebrate!
• Our age is merely the number of years that the world has enjoyed us!
• This day is all yours — have fun!
• Happy birthday to my ride or die! Love you, bestie!
• Wherever the year ahead takes you, I hope it’s somewhere with me.
• Here’s to more life, love, and adventures along the way!
• My best friend was born today! Where would I be without you?!
• Happy birthday to this dime in their prime!
• Happy birthday to my forever-young friend!
• Life is more fun by your side — happy birthday!
30 Funny birthday wishes for best friends
Your friends’ birthday messages will take the cake with this collection of cute and clever sentiments for funny birthday cards and captions.
• However old you are is the new 30. Happy birthday.
• Like a fine wine, we get better with age. Or maybe we just feel better about our age with a little bit of wine.
• Happy birthday to someone who is smart, talented, pretty, creative, and fabulous. I love that we’re so much alike.
• It is scientifically proven that people who have more birthdays live longer. Congrats on your success.
• At least you’re not as old as you will be next year. Happy birthday.
• Just imagine the things you’d want to hear on your birthday and then pretend I said them. Love you, babe!
• Your birthday outshines all the other 364 days of the year. Happy birthday!
• If things really do get better with age, then you’re nearing perfection. I bet it feels as good as it looks. Happy birthday!
• For your birthday, how about a fruit salad instead of cake? A fruit salad with mostly grapes – no, all grapes. Fermented grapes. Wine it is.
• I can barely keep up with everyone’s birthdays these days, but you better believe I’d never forget yours. Happy birthday to the best friend there is.
• A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the best person in the world was born. Happy birthday, bud!
• Best friend, we’ve been through it all. We’ve celebrated birthdays together from our diaper days as kids, and I look forward to our diaper days as adults. Let’s live it up while we’re young.
• Your birthday is a painful reminder of how old I’m getting. At least we’re in it together.
• Happy birthday to someone who is smart, talented, pretty, creative, and fabulous. I love that we’re so much alike.
• It is scientifically proven that people who have more birthdays live longer. Congrats on your success.
• Here’s to hoping all your candles this year don’t set off the fire alarm. Your birthday is gonna be lit.
• Another birthday, another year older. Don’t you think it’s about time we started to act our age? Well, I know exactly what you’ll say. Next year. Happy birthday.
• You’re not old. You’re just old enough to know better but not old enough to care. Happy birthday.
• Another year to prove that older doesn’t really mean wiser. Happy birthday.
• When I say, "have a happy birthday," you better freaking do it!
• Wishing you nothing but tacos and champagne on your big day, or whatever else makes it special!
• Can you hear that down the block? That’s me screaming, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"
• We’re both getting old, but who’s counting? Happy birthday!
• If you’re getting old, that means I am too! Happy birthday geezer!
• Don’t think of it as getting older; think of it as becoming a classic.
• You’re older than yesterday but younger than tomorrow — happy birthday!
• Hey, you! It’s your birthday! Candles! Cocktails! Cake! Gifts! Can you tell I’m excited?!
• Don’t forget your real gift: everyone singing "Happy Birthday" to you awkwardly later tonight!
• How many birthdays have we spent together now? I guess it’s official — you’re stuck with me!
• Let’s party like it’s [insert your friend’s birth year]! Happy birthday to a true vintage!
24 Special birthday wishes
No one knows you like your best friends, so remind them of how thoughtful you can be with these tender birthday wishes.
• Today was the best because I got to spend it with you — happy birthday!
• I hope you’re beginning and ending your day with happy thoughts — happy birthday!
• Happy birthday to my favorite secret-keeper! Thanks for always keeping things interesting.
• I can’t imagine life without my best friend, and I’m so grateful for you! Happy birthday!
• Today a true queen was born and I’m so honored to be in your court. Happy birthday my royal highness!
• You are one of a kind and deserve everything good that this special day will bring!
• Happy birthday to my gorgeous, brilliant, and dedicated friend — keep living your best life!
• We’ve made so many wonderful memories together — here’s to a million more!
• Happy birthday to one of the most special people in my life and wishing you many more.
• I’m so grateful for your friendship and all the fun we’ve had together. Happy birthday, I love you!
• Happy birthday, friend! I hope you enjoy your big day to the fullest.
• Today should be a national holiday because it’s the day my best friend was born!
• I know we don’t live together anymore so I’m shipping you an abundance of love this birthday, bestie.
• May this day bring you all the joy you deserve. Happy birthday, friend.
• On this special day, I raise a toast to you and your future. Happy birthday.
• Don’t count the candles but see the light they give. Don’t count your years but see the life you’ve lived. Happy birthday my sweet friend.
• There are friends, and then there are best friends. Happy birthday to the best friend who’s ever lived.
• Today is my annual reminder that there’s no one like you! Happy birthday friend!
• I’m so proud of how much you’ve grown this year. Happy birthday.
• Happy birthday! Thank you for living your life in a way that makes every day worth celebrating.
• Happiness is seeing your best friend grow up with you! Happy birthday!
• Cheers to the nights that turned into mornings and the friend that turned into family. Happy birthday!
• Happy birthday to an inspiring person who is a shining example for all of us!
• Your year ahead is full of promise and potential — may you make it the best one yet!
16 Romantic birthday wishes
Is this the year that your friendship blossomed into romance? Appreciate your love with these soft and romantic statements you can send to your babe. You can also edit these for Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day, or Palentine’s Day cards and messages.
• Every day I spend with you is the new best day of my life — happy birthday!
• Taking a moment to feel gratitude for the day that we shared, and I patiently await what tomorrow has in store for us. Happy birthday, my love!
• "You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." — Dr. Seuss
• No matter where you are in the world, I hope you feel my love. Happy birthday, baby.
• "The best way to remember your wife’s birthday is to forget it once." — E. Joseph Cossman
• "To give somebody your time is the biggest gift you can give." — Franka Potente
• Thanks for being my partner in all things, especially in celebrating you!
• I hope your special day bring you all that your heart desires, including me!
• Much like the way you entered my life, I wish you a day of pleasant surprises!
• Sending you birthday wishes wrapped up with all my love!
• Happy birthday to my number one! Here’s to another year of laughing and loving with you.
• I can’t believe how lucky I am to have someone like you. You make every day of my life so special. I can’t wait to celebrate your big day with you!
• The world became a better place when you were born, and I’m so honored to spend this day with you.
• Sending my love to the most wonderful person I know — you always bring out the best in me, and I love you for that.
• Happy birthday babe! You do so much for others, so I’m thrilled you can take time for yourself on your big day.
• You’re my one and only, forever and always. Happy birthday my love!
Free Adobe Express customizable templates for birthday wishes
Is your birthday card in need of some punching up? These free and customizable Adobe Express templates can be used for a variety of cards, signs, and social media content that will boost your loved one’s birthday immediately.