Now, why don’t you pick up some extra words?
Okay, you now officially have three different ways to say happy birthday in Japanese under your belt. Must-know Birthday Vocabulary in Japanese You can even mix and match and say, ハッピーお誕生日（はっぴーおたんじょうび）- Happy Birthday!Īnd of course, the happy birthday song in Japanese might be easier to sing than you think! Given how loan words are fairly common in the Japanese language, this one shouldn’t be much of a surprise! This just gives a more casual, familiar vibe between the speaker and the listener. If you’re a good friend or family member of the person turning a year older, you can save yourself a few syllables and leave off ございます or even the お in 誕生日（たんじょうび）- “birthday.” So to be safe, it’s best to leave the prefix and the word together. This is known as 美化語（びかご）- “Japanese elegant speech.”ĭepending on the word, removing this honorific prefix may sound impolite or just plain off. You may also notice the honorific prefix お for the word 誕生日（たんじょうび）- “birthday.” Plus, it’s great to use if you don’t know the person very well. This phrase is the most polite way to give someone well wishes on their birthday! Maybe you’re already familiar with 敬語（けいご）- “polite speech,” a cornerstone of speaking the Japanese language. Since you’re now equipped with the cultural knowledge you need regarding birthdays in Japan, let’s get into the fun stuff.īelow you’ll find all the vocabulary you need for saying “happy birthday” in Japanese the right way! お誕生日おめでとうございます（おたんじょうびおめでとうございます）- Happy Birthday (Formal)! When someone turns 77 in Japan, they’ve reached the “happy age.” The 88th birthday is the “rice age,” and the 99th birthday is considered the “white age.” “Happy Birthday” in Japanese: Your Guide to Celebrating Like a Native The last birthdays to be hyper-aware about are the 77th birthday, 88th and the 99th. When a person turns 16, the five cycles of the Chinese zodiac are completed. Your sixteenth birthday is also a big one, though. So it only makes sense that someone’s twentieth birthday causes for a big celebration. It’s also the age you can start to legally drink alcohol and are allowed to vote. In Japan, you’re considered an adult when you turn 20. As you get older though, different people of importance in your life will start to take charge.įor example: in high school, if a young 少年（しょうねん）- “male” has a girlfriend, he’d be the one to take her out for her birthday.Īnd if you’re single, your friends are more likely to take you out or throw a birthday bash to honor you. Birthdays Change as You Get OlderĪs a child, your parents will throw a party for you. Just like how you gave the gift with both hands and a bow, eventually, your Japanese colleague or friend will also receive the give with both hands a slight bow.
This is just a way of being humble and polite.
Don’t be surprised if the person rejects the gift once or twice, either. In Japanese culture, you should always hand someone a gift with both hands and a slight bow. In this case, if you have a gift to offer the person, you should hand it to them properly. Instead, you see them at work, school or another setting. Here’s a word of advice: don’t touch or open someone else’s gift like I almost did for my boss.īut let’s say you aren’t attending a party or social gathering in honor of the special birthday person. So before we dive into the simple phrases you want to add to your “cool things to say in Japanese” box, let’s first take a look at how birthdays are celebrated in Japan. Just like in English, it can be a bit too straightforward to ask for someone’s age on their birthday.īut you can definitely ask about their birthday wishes!īecause of customs like this, it’s extremely important you understand basic cultural etiquette before attending a Japanese birthday party. Try FluentU for FREE! How Birthdays Are Celebrated in Japan
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