How to Express Birthday Wishes in Italian

The most straightforward way to convey “happy birthday” in Italian is by saying “buon compleanno,” although there are several other commonly used expressions for birthday greetings. It's beneficial to become familiar with various phrases related to birthdays as well as the Italian rendition of the birthday song.

Say 'buon compleanno!' This phrase directly translates to 'happy birthday' in Italian, with 'buon' meaning 'good' and 'compleanno' meaning 'birthday.' Pronounce it as: bwon kom-pleh-ahn-noh

Offer 'tanti auguri!' While not explicitly saying 'happy birthday,' this phrase means 'best wishes' in Italian. Pronounce it as: tahn-tee ahw-goo-ree

Use 'cento di questi giorni!' This phrase implies wishing someone 100 years of birthdays, symbolizing a long life. Pronounce it as: chehn-toh dee kweh-stee jeohr-nee

Refer to the Guest of Honor as the 'Celebrated One.' Using this term in Italian is akin to calling someone the 'birthday boy' or 'birthday girl,' although directly translated, it means 'the celebrated.' Pronounce it as: feh-steh-jia-toh

Inquire about Age with 'How Many Years Do You Have?' Though indirectly asking someone's age, this question politely translates to “how many years do you have?” in Italian. Pronounce it as: kwahn-tee ahn-nee ai

Discuss Aging with 'Moving Forward with the Years.' This phrase signifies someone is 'getting on in years,' suggesting both age and wisdom. Pronounce it as: ehs-ser-eh ah-vahn-tee kohn ghlee ahn-nee

Declare Your Birthday with 'Today I Fulfill My Years.' Indirectly stating your birthday, this translates to 'today I fulfill my years.' Pronounce it as: oh-jee kohm-pioh ghlee ahn-nee

Expressing Your Age with 'I am About to Fulfill ___ Years.' This phrase indicates nearing a specific age, more common among younger individuals. Pronounce it as: stoh pehr kohm-pier-eh ___ ahn-nee

Stick with the familiar melody. Even though the lyrics are different, you should still sing the Italian version of the 'happy birthday' song to the tune you learned in English.

Sing 'Many Wishes' for multiple verses. The commonly used lyrics for the 'happy birthday' song in Italian don't mention birthdays directly. Instead, you use the indirect expression of 'best wishes' in place of 'happy birthday' in the standard tune.

• After each verse, add 'a te' (ah tee), meaning 'to you.'
• The song lyrics go as follows:
  • Many wishes to you,
  • Many wishes to you,
  • Many wishes to (NAME),
  • Many wishes to you!

Consider switching to 'Happy Birthday' instead. Although less common, you can technically use the direct expression of 'happy birthday' in place of the English version in the standard song.

• Similar to the 'Many Wishes' version, add 'a te' (ah tee) after the phrase, meaning 'to you.'
• The lyrics for this version are:
  • Happy birthday to you,
  • Happy birthday to you,
  • Happy birthday to (NAME),
  • Happy birthday to you!