The most direct way to say "Happy Birthday" in French is "Joyeux Anniversaire", but there are actually many other ways to wish the occasion. Here are some that may be useful to you.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: First Method: Common Birthday Wishes
Step 1. Exclaim "Joyeux anniversaire
"This is the first of two common expressions used to say" Happy Birthday "in France.
- Note that you can also use this phrase in Quebec and other French-speaking states, but it's not the most popular way to send greetings there.
- This expression literally translates as "Happy Birthday".
- Joyeux means "happy" or "full of joy".
- Anniversaire can mean either "birthday" or "anniversary", but used alone it usually refers to the birthday. To indicate a wedding anniversary instead, we must say "anniversaire de mariage".
- Pronounce joyeux anniversaire as ji-u a-ni-ver-sèr.
Step 2. You can also say "Bon anniversaire
This is the second most used way in France to send happy birthday wishes.
- As with joyeux anniversaire, bon anniversaire can also be used in the French regions of Canada, although it is not the most common formula.
- Bon usually means "good" or "good". This expression corresponds more closely to the Italian "happy birthday", compared to the previous one which means "happy birthday".
- Pronounce bon anniversaire as bon aniversèr.
Step 3. In the French part of Canada, use "bonne fête"
This is the most informal and popular way of saying "happy birthday" in the French regions of Canada, such as Quebec.
- Contrary to "joyeux anniversaire" and "bon anniversaire", "bonne fête" cannot be used in both France and Canada. In fact, in France, "bonne fête" is used to send greetings on the day of the name day. The day of the name day refers to the Christian anniversary in which all the people whose name coincides with that of the saint of the day are celebrated.
- Bonne is the feminine of bon, and therefore means "good".
- Fête means "party".
- So literally translated, "bonne fête" means "good party".
- Pronounce bonne fête like bonn fet.
Method 2 of 3: Second Method: Less Common Birthday Wishes
Step 1. Wishes "Passe une merveilleuse journée
"In Italian, this phrase is equivalent to" have a beautiful birthday "or" have a beautiful day ".
- Passe is the conjugate form of the French verb "passer", which means "to pass" or "to pass".
- Merveilleuse means "wonderful", "beautiful".
- Une journée means "one day".
- The phrase is pronounced pass iun merveios sgiurné.
Step 2. Say "meilleurs voeux"
Use this expression to express your "best wishes" to someone on their birthday.
- Note that this form of greeting is not very common, but it is still acceptable.
- Meilleurs means "best" and "voeux" means "best wishes".
- Pronounce it like meior vo.
Step 3. Say "félicitations"
It is another expression to congratulate someone on their birthday.
- This expression is not very common, however it is accepted.
- Félicitations means "congratulations" in Italian.
- Pronounce it felisitasiòn.
Step 4. Question "that âge as-tu?"
This question is used to ask someone's age.
- That means "what" or "which".
- The French word "âge" means "age" in Italian.
- Saying "as-tu" in French is equivalent to Italian "hai".
- The phrase means "how old are you?" or even "how old are you?"
- Is it pronounced chel asg a tiu?
Method 3 of 3: Third Method: Longer Wishes Formulas
Step 1. Say "Je te souhaite plein de bonheur en cette journée spéciale
"This sentence can be translated as" I wish you much happiness on this special day "or" I wish you all happiness on this special day ".
- Je means "I" and te is the complement pronoun meaning "you".
- Souhaite means "wish", plein means "full", de means "of" and bonheur "means" happiness ".
- En means "in", cette is equivalent to "this", journée means "day" and spéciale means "special".
- This expression is pronounced sgie te suètt plen d bonor an sett sgiurné spesiàl.
Step 2. Say "Que tu joyeux encore de nombreuses années
"This phrase is more or less equivalent to our" one hundred of these years. "In practice it is used to wish the person celebrated many more birthdays to come.
- Que means "that," you means "you," and joyeux means "happy"
- Encore means "still" or "others" and expresses the "years to come" part of this wish.
- Nombreuses means "numerous" and années means "years."
- It is pronounced that tiu jiu still du nombrus anné.
Step 3. Wishes "Que tous tes désirs se réalisent"
This means "May all your wishes come true".
- Tous means "all" and tes means "yours".
- Désirs can mean "wishes", "dreams" or "hopes".
- If réalisent stands for "come true".
- Pronounce this sentence as tu te desìr se realìs.
