One of the most recognised tunes is the tune for the happy birthday song! While the song originated in America in the 19th century, today, all around the world, you can recognise the tune and hum along even if the words are in a language you don’t understand.
Birthdays are such an important celebration in so many cultures and being able to wish someone a happy birthday in their native tongue is something very special. You never know when it might come in handy!
Whether you want to be prepared for the next trip you take, or you’d like to know what to write in a birthday card to an old exchange student from a semester study abroad, knowing how to say happy birthday in a foreign language is a really lovely gesture. We’ve gathered a list of how to say happy birthday in 37 different languages that you can keep on hand the next time you travel.
Happy Birthday in Spanish
Feliz cumpleaños
Happy Birthday in French
Joyeux anniversaire or bon anniversaire
Happy Birthday in German
Alles Gute zum Geburtstag
Happy Birthday in Italian
Buon Compleanno
Happy Birthday in Russian
С Днем рожденья
Happy Birthday in Japanese
お誕生日おめでとう (o-tanjoubi omedetou)
Happy Birthday in Hawaiian
Hauʻoli Lā Hānau
Happy Birthday in Korean
생일 축하 해요 (saeng-il chugha haeyo)
Happy Birthday in Chinese
‘生日快乐’ (shēng rì kuài lè)
Happy Birthday in Portuguese
Feliz Aniversário!
Happy Birthday in Hebrew
יום הולדת שמח (yom huledet sameach)
Happy Birthday in Polish
‘Wszystkiego najlepszego’ or for less formal ‘Sto lat’
Happy Birthday in Greek
Χρόνια πολλά
Happy Birthday in Arabic
عيد مولد سعيد (Eyd Mawlid Saeid)
Happy Birthday in Tagalog
Maligayang kaarawan
Happy Birthday in Dutch
Fijne verjaardag
Happy Birthday in Mandarin
生日快乐 (shēng rì kuài lè)
Happy Birthday in Swedish
grattis på födelsedagen
Happy Birthday in Norwegian
Gratulerer med dagen
Happy Birthday in Vietnamese
Chúc mừng sinh nhật
Happy Birthday in Latin
Felix sit natalis dies
Happy Birthday in Thai
สุขสันต์วันเกิด (S̄uk̄hs̄ạnt̒ wạn keid)
Happy Birthday in Irish
Lá breithe shona duit
Happy Birthday in Turkish
Doğum günün kutlu olsun
Happy Birthday in Swahili
Sikukuu ya kuzaliwa
Happy Birthday in Hindi
जन्मदिन मुबारक हो (janmdin mubaarak ho)
Happy Birthday in Gaelic
Lá breithe shona duit
Happy Birthday in Klingon
qoSlIj DatIvjaj
Happy Birthday in Danish
Tillykke med fødselsdagen
Happy Birthday in Cantonese
生日快樂
Happy Birthday in Finnish
hyvää syntymäpäivää
Happy Birthday in Ukrainian
З Днем народження
Happy Birthday in Navajo
Baa Hózhǫ́ǫgo Nidizhchí
Happy Birthday in Czech
Všechno nejlepší k narozeninám
Happy Birthday in Yiddish
א פריילעכן געבורצטאג (a freylekhn geburstag)
Happy Birthday in Hungarian
Boldog születésnapot
Happy Birthday in Samoan
Manuia le aso fanau
Happy Birthday in Croatian
Sretan rođendan
A simple happy birthday can go a long way. Even if you struggle to pronounce the birthday wishes, you might just make someone’s day when you are able to say happy birthday in their very own language.