The most common ways to say "happy birthday" in German are "Alles Gute zum Geburtstag" and "Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag". However, there are many other ways. Here are some examples that might come in handy.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Basic German
Step 1. Exclaim "Alles Gute zum Geburtstag
"This is the closest expression to our" happy birthday ", and it can be translated as" all the best for your birthday ".
- Alles is a pronoun meaning "everything".
- Gute comes from the German adjective "gut", which means "good".
- The term zum derives from the German preposition "zu", and means "to" or "for".
- Geburtstag means "birthday".
- This wish is pronounced àles gute zum gebuuztag.
Step 2. Wishes "Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag"
This is also a very common greeting formula.
- It can be translated as "heartfelt wishes on your birthday".
- Herzlichen comes from the adjective "herzlich" and means "from the heart", "sincere" or "cordial".
- Glückwunsch means "best wishes".
- The term zum means "to" or "for", while Geburtstag means "birthday".
- This wish is pronounced heezliscen glucvunsc zum gebuuztag.
Step 3. Say "Herzlichen Glückwunsch nachträglich" or "Nachträglich alles Gute zum Geburtstag", for belated wishes
Both expressions are equivalent to our "happy birthday, even if late".
- Nachträglich means "late".
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch nachträglich means "sincere wishes, even if belatedly". This formula is pronounced heezliscen glucvunsc nahhtreglisc.
- "Nachträglich alles Gute zum Geburtstag" means more or less "all the best for your birthday, even if it's late". It is pronounced nahhtreglisc àles gute zum gebuuztag.
Step 4. Wishes "Alles das Beste zum Geburtstag
"This is another way of saying" I wish you the best on your birthday ".
- Alles means "everything", zum means "for", while Geburtstag means "birthday".
- Das Beste means "the best."
- The phrase is pronounced àles das beste zum gebuuztag.
Method 2 of 2: Longer Birthday Wishes
Step 1. Wishes "Alles Liebe zum Geburtstag"
This expression means about "happy birthday wishes with love".
- Alles means "everything". The expression "zum Geburtstag" stands for "for your birthday".
- Liebe means "love".
- This wish is pronounced àles libe zum gebuuztag.
- Say "Wir wünschen Ihnen einen wunderschönen Tag". Use this phrase to wish the birthday boy a wonderful day.
- Wir means "we".
- Wünschen is a German verb which means "to wish", "to hope" or "to wish".
- Ihnen is the polite way of addressing someone, so it is equivalent to our "to her". To make the sentence informal, instead of Ihnen you have to use Dir, which is equivalent to "to you". The pronunciation of Dir is dir.
Step 2. Einen means "one" or "one".
- Wunderschönen means "wonderful", "beautiful" or "fantastic".
- Tag stands for "day".
- The sentence is pronounced about vir vunscen iinen ainen vunderscionen taag.
- You can also wish "Auf dass Ihr Tag mit Liebe und Freude erfüllt ist." The translation is roughly "May your day be filled with love and happiness."
- Auf means "al" or "sul".
- Dass is a German conjunction which corresponds to our "that".
- Ihr is equivalent to our formal you, therefore "she". To make the sentence informal, use Dein instead, which is pronounced dain.
- Tag means "day".
Step 3. Mit it means "with".
- Liebe means "love". The word und stands for "e", while Freude means "joy", "happiness".
- The expression erfüllt ist can be translated as "full of".
- The phrase is pronounced auf das ir taag mit liibe unt froide erfult ist.
- Say "Schade, dass wir nicht mitfeiern können" when you can't celebrate in person. The phrase means "It's a shame we can't be there to celebrate together." You can use this expression on the phone, in a greeting card or in an email, in short, on all occasions when you cannot send your wishes in person.
- Schade means "sin".
Step 4. Dass it means "that" and wir means "we".
- Nicht means "not", while können means "we can".
- Mitfeiern means "to celebrate".
- The pronunciation is sciade das vir nihht mitfaiern connen.
- Question "Wie geht's dem Geburtstagkind?" which can be translated as "how is the birthday boy?"
Step 5. Wie geht's is the German expression equivalent to our "how are you?" or "how are you?".
- Dem means "the".
- Geburtstagkind means "celebrated" or "celebrated".
- Is the pronunciation vi geez dem gebuuztagkìnd?.
Step 6. You can also ask "Wie alt=" Image "bist du?
"This is the expression for asking" how old are you? ".
- Wie means "like" and alt="Image" stands for "old". Bist means "six".
- Du means "you". To be more formal, instead of "du" you can use Sie ", preceded by" sind "instead of" bist ", then" Wie alt="Image" sind Sie?"
- The pronunciation is vi alt="Image" bist du? (or "vi alt=" Image "sind sii?")
