happy birthday in Japanese

If you want to know how to say happy birthday in Japanese, a common expression is お誕生日おめでとう (otanjōbi omedetō). For a more polite greeting, say お誕生日おめでとうございます (otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu). Both work in person and in birthday messages.

How Do You Say Happy Birthday in Japanese?

A common way to say happy birthday in Japanese is お誕生日おめでとう (otanjōbi omedetō). It is a warm greeting for friends, family, a partner, or someone else you speak to informally.

誕生日 (tanjōbi) means “birthday,” and おめでとう (omedetō) means “congratulations.” Together, they form the Japanese birthday greeting. It is a fixed congratulatory expression rather than a direct use of the adjective explained in happy in Japanese.

Different Ways to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese

Choose a greeting based on your relationship with the person. The full polite form is useful for someone you normally address respectfully, while shorter versions fit friends and informal messages.

1. お誕生日おめでとう (Otanjōbi omedetō) — Happy Birthday

お誕生日おめでとう (otanjōbi omedetō) is a friendly birthday greeting. You can say it aloud, write it in a card, or send it in a text.

The initial お (o) adds a polite or gentle touch to 誕生日. However, without ございます at the end, the whole greeting still fits familiar, informal relationships.

2. お誕生日おめでとうございます — Happy Birthday, Politely

お誕生日おめでとうございます (otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu) is the polite version. Use it with a teacher, a manager, an acquaintance, or anyone you normally address using polite language.

You can also use it with someone you know well if you want a more respectful tone. Adding ございます (gozaimasu) makes the congratulatory expression polite.

3. 誕生日おめでとう (Tanjōbi omedetō) — Happy Birthday

誕生日おめでとう (tanjōbi omedetō) leaves off the initial お. It is a straightforward, casual greeting for friends, family, and a partner.

Both 誕生日おめでとう and お誕生日おめでとう are natural. You do not need to include “your” because the person you are congratulating is clear from context.

4. ハッピーバースデー (Happī bāsudē) — Happy Birthday

ハッピーバースデー (happī bāsudē) is the English greeting written in katakana and pronounced with Japanese sounds. It gives a birthday message a casual, cheerful feel.

You may also see the spelling ハッピーバースデー on cards and decorations. For a respectful personal greeting, お誕生日おめでとうございます is a useful choice.

5. 誕おめ (Tan ome) — Happy B-day

誕おめ (tan ome), also written たんおめ, is a very informal shortening of 誕生日おめでとう. It is similar in tone to a brief “happy b-day” message.

Use it only when that kind of shorthand fits your friendship and messaging style. The full greeting is a better choice for a thoughtful card or a polite birthday wish.

Happy Birthday in Japanese: Quick Comparison

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How to Pronounce Happy Birthday in Japanese

お誕生日おめでとう (otanjōbi omedetō) can be divided into o-tan-jō-bi / o-me-de-tō. A rough English guide is “oh-tahn-johh-bee / oh-meh-deh-tohh.”

The marks above ō indicate long vowels. Hold the “o” in jō and the final “o” in omedetō a little longer. Keep the other vowels short and avoid strong English-style stress.

You may see otanjoubi omedetou written with “ou” instead of “ō.” This reflects the hiragana spelling おたんじょうび おめでとう.

How to Write Happy Birthday in Japanese

The usual spelling combines kanji and hiragana: お誕生日おめでとう. For the polite form, write お誕生日おめでとうございます.

Written entirely in hiragana, the greeting is おたんじょうびおめでとう. The polite version is おたんじょうびおめでとうございます.

You can add the recipient’s name at the beginning, followed by a comma. Use the name and any honorific you normally use for that person rather than adding an unfamiliar form of address just for the birthday.

Japanese Birthday Messages for Cards and Texts

A birthday greeting can stand alone, but a short wish for the coming year makes it more personal. These examples are ready to use in a card or message.

This is a warm message for a friend or family member. “Year” here refers to the year ahead in their life.

This version uses polite language and fits someone you normally address respectfully.

This is a simple, affectionate message for someone whose support or company you appreciate.

How to Reply to Happy Birthday in Japanese

With friends and family, reply ありがとう (arigatō), meaning “thank you.” For a polite reply, use ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu).

If someone sends you a message, you can say メッセージありがとう (messēji arigatō), meaning “thanks for the message.” There is no special birthday-only reply you need to memorize.

Summary: How to Say Happy Birthday in Japanese

A common way to say happy birthday in Japanese is お誕生日おめでとう (otanjōbi omedetō). For a polite greeting, use お誕生日おめでとうございます (otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu).

In a card or text, add 素敵な一年になりますように (suteki na ichinen ni narimasu yō ni) to wish someone a wonderful year. If you receive a birthday wish, a simple ありがとう (arigatō) or ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) makes a natural reply.