Happy Birthday in French
From LoveToKnow French
Saying 'happy birthday' in French is probably one of the more useful French phrases you can learn. Living and communicating with people in a French-speaking country will undoubtedly include wishing people a happy birthday now and again.
Wishing Someone a Happy Birthday in French
French cultural customs are generally centered on being polite. For this reason, you'll want to know the appropriate way to wish someone a happy birthday. While the words themselves are undoubtedly important, it's also important to know that a physical gesture should accompany the words. As with saying hello or goodbye, saying happy birthday in French should be accompanied by kisses (between close friends) or a handshake among, for example, work colleagues. The expressions themselves are short and easy to learn!
Bon anniversaire
This is the most general French version of saying happy birthday. You will see many greeting cards with these two words splashed across it, and among younger people and less formal situations this birthday phrase is most common.
Joyeux anniversaire
Slightly more traditional, this phrase is a bit warmer than bon anniversaire. However, joyeux anniversaire and bon anniversaire are, generally speaking, completely interchangeable in France.
Bonne fête
In Québec, and other parts of French-speaking Canada, it is more common to say bonne fête than to use the first two expressions so common in France. Of course, you will be well understood in Québec if you wish someone a joyeux anniversaire; however, you're more likely to hear the locals wishing each other a bonne fête.
Happy Birthday in Song
Naturally, wishing someone a happy birthday often includes singing a song. In France, several different birthday songs exist; the most common one is the first one below, which is sung to the same tune as the happy birthday song in English. However, it should be noted that the more traditional set will consider this a "newer version" and "not the real French Happy Birthday song. In Canada, the most common song used is not the translated English happy birthday song, but rather a folk song whose chorus has been adapted.
To the Tune Most Know as "Happy Birthday"
If you can sing the happy birthday song in English, you can sing this song too as the melody is the same:
Joyeux Anniversaire
Joyeux Anniversaire
Joyeux Anniversaire... (name)
Joyeyx Anniversaire
While the above tends to be sung widely, there are other more traditional French Happy Birthday songs and you are likely to hear them as well--especially among older generations.
Bon anniversaire, nos vœux les plus sincères
Que ces quelques fleurs vous apportent le bonheur
Que l'année entière vous soit douce et légère
Et que l'an fini, nous soyons tous réunis
Pour chanter en chœur : "Bon Anniversaire !"
Canadian
In Canada (primarily in Québec, but other French speakers in Canada too) the song below is used to wish someone a happy birthday. This song was originally written as a song to the people of Québec, and was sung for the first time in 1975 at the national holiday in Québec. The original song can be viewed on YouTube.
The original song chorus was adapted from Gens du pays, c'est votre tour… de vous laisser parler d'amour, which was directed at all the people of Québec, to the version below as a way to wish someone a happy birthday. The songwriter himself suggested using this as a birthday song, and more than 30 years later, the tradition is still going strong.
- For a male:
Mon cher ami, c'est à ton tour / De te laisser parler d'amour. / Mon cher ami, c'est à ton tour / De te laisser parler d'amour.
- For a female:
Ma chère amie, c'est à ton tour / De te laisser parler d'amour. / Ma chère amie, c'est à ton tour / De te laisser parler d'amour.
- Alternative Options:
- ami/amie can be replaced by the name of the person whose birthday it is
- mon/ma can be replaced by the word très, changing the opening line from 'my dear friend' to 'very dear friend'
Whether you stick with simply wishing someone a joyeux or bon anniversaire, or you go ahead and serenade him or her with a song, don't forget to raise your glass to the birthday boy or girl and wish them Santé! Also, be forewarned that a French birthday cake seldom resembles an American one…you're more likely to encounter traditional, delicious, French desserts.
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