Thursday, August 10, 2017

How to Talk Happy Birthday in Japanese?


How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese?
Today’s post is all about the “Birthday”. How would you say, Happy Birthday in Japanese? Well, “Birthday” is “Tanjo-bi (たんじょうび、誕生日)” or “O-tanjo-bi (おたんじょうび、お誕生日)” in Japanese. By adding, “o” at the beginning, it sounds more softer; therefore, many women use it that way. Also, smaller children use in that form. Below is the list of some of the most often used expressions related to birthday.

Happy Birthday! – (O)tanjo-bi omedetou! (おたんじょうび おめでとう。お誕生日おめでとう).

or Otanjo-bi omedetou gozaimasu! (おたんじょうび おめでとう ございます。お誕生日おめでとうございます。).

***By adding “gozaimasu” at the end, it sounds more polite; therefore, you would say this to someone older or to him/her who is in higher social status than yourself. You could also use this to someone who you don’t know too well. However, in writing (for example, emails or letters) it sounds more polite to use with “gozaimasu” even for a close friend.**



Happy 30th Birthday! – Sanju ssaino otanjo-bi omedetou.(さんじゅっさいの おたんじょうび おめでとう。三十歳のお誕生日おめでとう。)

**In Japanese, when we say Happy Birthday to someone, we don’t actually say 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.. We would rather call it, 1 year old- birthday, 10 year-old birthday, 30 year-old birthday, etc..



Wishing you a wonderful birthday! –Subarashii tanjo-bi ni narimasuyouni! (すばらしい たんじょうびに なりますように。素晴らしい誕生日になりますように。)



Happy Birthday to my best friend.– Shinyu-no anatani, otanjo-bi omedetou. (しんゆうのあなたに おたんじょうび おめでとう。親友のあなたに、お誕生日 おめでとう)



Happy Birthday, my love. – Aisuru anatani, otanjo-bi omedetou. (あいするあなたに おたんじょうび おめでとう。愛するあなたに、お誕生日おめでとう)



Wishing you a wonderful year ahead.-Subarashii ichinen ni narimasu youni. (すばらしい いちねんに なりますように。素晴らしい 一年に なりますように。)



Happy Birthday in Italian


Happy Birthday in Hawaiian





May all your birthday wishes come true. -Anatano negaiga subete kanaimasuyouni. (あなたの ねがいが すべて かないますように。あなたの根願いが全てかないますように。)



Hope you have the best party ever! – Imamadede ichiban saikou na pa-ti- ni narimasuyouni. (いままでで いちばん さいこうな パーティー になりますように。今までで、一番 最高な パーティーに なりますように。)

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Some useful words to know for birthday are:

Birthday Cake – Ba-sude- ke-ki (バースデーケーキ)

Birthday Card – Ba-sude- ca-do (バースデーカード)

Birthday Party – Ba-sude- pa-ti-(バースデーパーティー)

Surprise Party – Sapuraizu Pa-ti- (サプライズ パーティー)

Candles – Ro-soku (ろうそく)

Balloon – Fu-sen (ふうせん、風船)

Feast – Gochi sou (ごちそう、ご馳走)