How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese
Learn how to say happy birthday in Japanese: お誕生日おめでとうございます (o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu). Casual お誕生日おめでとう, pronunciation, formal vs informal and tips.
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Quick answer
To say 'happy birthday' in Japanese, say お誕生日おめでとうございます (o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu) politely, or drop ございand say お誕生日おめでとう (o-tanjoubi omedetou) casually with friends and family. It literally means 'congratulations on your birthday'. The borrowed ハッピーバースデー (happii baasudee) is also common, especially in the birthday song.
お誕生日おめでとう
/oh-tahn-joh-bee oh-meh-deh-toh/ — Japanese
How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese
Birthdays in Japan are celebrated warmly, and the phrase you need is built from two everyday words: 誕生日 (tanjoubi, “birthday”) and おめでとう (omedetou, “congratulations”). Put them together and add a polite ending to match the occasion.
The Standard Phrase
お誕生日おめでとう — pronounced oh-tahn-joh-bee oh-meh-deh-toh (casual)
For a polite version add ございます: お誕生日おめでとうございます (o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu).
Copy the Phrase
The Japanese for “happy birthday” is お誕生日おめでとう (o-tanjoubi omedetou, oh-tahn-joh-bee oh-meh-deh-toh).
Formal vs. Casual
| Japanese | Romaji | Use |
|---|---|---|
| お誕生日おめでとうございます | o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu | Polite — elders, coworkers, formal |
| お誕生日おめでとう | o-tanjoubi omedetou | Casual — friends, family |
| 誕生日おめでとう | tanjoubi omedetou | Very casual — drops honorific お |
| ハッピーバースデー | happii baasudee | Borrowed English, party/song |
| 〜歳おめでとう | -sai omedetou | ”Happy [age] — congrats” (e.g. 20歳おめでとう) |
Breaking Down the Words
- お (o-) — a polite, respectful prefix attached to 誕生日.
- 誕生日 (tanjoubi) — “birthday”, written with the kanji for “birth” (誕生) plus “day” (日).
- おめでとう (omedetou) — “congratulations”, reusable for weddings, graduations, the New Year and more.
- ございます (gozaimasu) — a polite ending that lifts the whole phrase into respectful speech.
Adding a Warm Wish
To make it more heartfelt, add a follow-up line:
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 素敵な一年になりますように | suteki na ichinen ni narimasu you ni | May you have a wonderful year |
| これからも元気でね | kore kara mo genki de ne | Stay happy and healthy |
| いつもありがとう | itsumo arigatou | Thank you for everything |
These pair naturally with お誕生日おめでとう in cards and messages.
Pronunciation Tips
- 誕生日 (tanjoubi) — tan-joh-bee; the じょう is a long “joh”, not “jou-oo”.
- おめでとう (omedetou) — o-me-de-toh; ends in a long “toh”, not “to-oo”.
- In the polite form, ございます (gozaimasu) sounds like “go-zai-mahss”, the final “u” softening.
A Cultural Note
Until the mid-20th century, Japan traditionally counted everyone a year older at New Year rather than on individual birthdays, so individual birthday parties are a relatively modern, Western-influenced custom — which is why the English ハッピーバースデー song is so embedded. A handwritten card with お誕生日おめでとうございます plus a short personal wish is a lovely, sincere gesture in Japanese.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say happy birthday in Japanese?
Say お誕生日おめでとうございます (o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu) for the polite version, or お誕生日おめでとう (o-tanjoubi omedetou) casually. It literally means 'congratulations on your birthday'. Among friends people also use the English-borrowed ハッピーバースデー (happii baasudee).
How do you pronounce o-tanjoubi omedetou?
お誕生日おめでとう is pronounced oh-tahn-joh-bee oh-meh-deh-toh. Break it into 誕生日 (tan-joh-bee, 'birthday') and おめでとう (o-me-de-toh, 'congratulations'). The 'jou' (じょう) is a long 'joh', and おめでとう ends in a long 'toh'. Keep the rhythm even and unhurried.
What is the difference between the polite and casual versions?
The polite form adds ございます (gozaimasu): お誕生日おめでとうございます — used with coworkers, elders, or anyone you'd speak formally to. The casual form drops it: お誕生日おめでとう — for friends, family and children. You can also drop the honorific お and just say 誕生日おめでとう among very close friends.
What does omedetou literally mean?
おめでとう (omedetou) means 'congratulations' and is used for all happy occasions, not just birthdays — weddings, graduations, New Year (あけましておめでとう). So お誕生日おめでとう literally reads 'birthday — congratulations', i.e. 'congratulations on your birthday'. The お in front of 誕生日 is a polite/respectful prefix.
What is the happy birthday song in Japanese?
Japan uses the same melody as the English song, with the words ハッピーバースデートゥーユー (happii baasudee too yuu) — a direct katakana borrowing of 'happy birthday to you'. Some sing a Japanese line like お誕生日おめでとう in place of it, but the katakana English version is by far the most common at parties.