8 Ways to Say "Happy Birthday" in Japanese

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Get the lowdown on Japanese birthday greetings and traditions

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Happy Birthday in Japanese

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Other Birthday Greetings

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Happy Birthday Song

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Japanese Birthday Culture

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“O-tanjyoubi omedetou gozaimasu” (お誕生日おめでとうございます) is the classic, most polite way to pass along happy birthday wishes in Japanese, while casual greetings like “tanjyoubi omedetou” (誕生日おめでとう) and “omedetou” (おめでとう) are perfect for celebrating with loved ones and friends. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Japanese birthday greetings, including the Japanese birthday song and how birthdays are celebrated in Japan.

Ways to Say “Happy Birthday” in Japanese

Say “o-tanjyoubi omedetou gozaimasu” to wish someone a happy birthday in Japanese. This greeting can be used formally or casually.
Say “o-tanjyoubi omedetou” to wish a friend or loved one a happy birthday.
Say “omedetou,” “otaome,” or “tanome” to casually wish someone a happy birthday.

Section 1 of 4:

Happy Birthday in Japanese

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O-tanjyoubi omedetou gozaimasu: Happy birthday (formal and informal) O-tanjyoubi omedetou gozaimasu (お誕生日おめでとうございます) can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but is a good option when speaking to people you aren’t on casual terms with (like your manager/boss).^{[1]XResearch source} Tanjyoubi (誕生日) means birthday, while omedetou (おめでとう) stands for “congratulations.” “Gozaimasu” (ございます) is the polite form of the “to be” verb.^{[2]XResearch source} When put together, these three elements make a polite birthday greeting.
- Pronunciation: Oh-tahn-jyoe-bee oh-meh-deh-toe go-zai-ee-mahs
- The “o” (お) at the beginning of the phrase is a prefix that makes your statements more courteous.^{[3]XResearch source}
- This is a good greeting to use when wishing your elders a happy birthday.^{[4]XResearch source}
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(O)-tanjyoubi omedetou: Happy birthday (casual) By removing “gozaimasu” (ございます) and the “o” (お) prefix, you’re making the greeting a little more casual. To make this greeting sound a little more respectful, say “o-tanjyoubi omedetou” (お誕生日おめでとう)instead.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Pronunciation: Tahn-jyoe-bee oh-meh-deh-toe
- This birthday greeting is versatile and can used in a variety of circumstances.
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Omedetou, otaome, or tanome: Happy birthday (very casual) Want to wish your best friend or immediate family member a happy birthday? “Omedetou” (おめでとう) on its own works as a birthday greeting, in addition to “otaome” (おたおめ) and “tanome” (たんおめ), which are hybrids of o-tanjyoubi omedetou (お誕生日おめでとう).^{[6]XResearch source}
- “Omedetou” pronunciation: Oh-meh-deh-toe
- “Otaome” pronunciation: Oh tah-oh-meh
- “Tanome” pronunciation: Tah-no-meh

Section 2 of 4:

Other Birthday Greetings

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[Age] sai omedetou: Happy [the person’s age] birthday Stick the person’s birthday number into the beginning of this phrase to create a more personalized birthday greeting. If you’d like to be especially respectful, use this phrase instead: “[the person’s age] sai no otanjyoubi omedetou gozaimasu” (歳のお誕生日おめでとうございます).^{[7]XResearch source}
- Prounciation: Sigh oh-meh-deh-toe
- Example: “Happy 20th birthday!” would translate to “hatachisai omedetou.”
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Osoku natta kedo, (o)tanjyoubi omedetou: Happy belated birthday “Osoku natta kedo” (遅くなったけど) translates to “It’s late, but…” while (o)tanjyoubi omedetou (お誕生日おめでと) is a standard Japanese birthday greeting. When put together, you’re essentially saying “This is late, but happy birthday!”^{[8]XResearch source}
- Pronunciation: Oh-so-koo nah-ta keh-doh, oh-tahn-jyoe-bee oh-meh-deh-toe
- In a more formal setting (like when speaking with your elders), say “osoku narimashita, (o)tanjyoubi omedetou (遅くなりましたお誕生日おめでと).”
The Japanese language uses 3 writing systems: one of these is katakana, which is used to convert words from other languages into Japanese.^{[9]XResearch source} An example of this is “happii basudee,” (ハッピーバースデー), which is a laid-back way to tell someone “happy birthday.”^{[10]XResearch source}
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Tokubetsu na hi o tanoshinde ne: Wish you enjoy your special day This is a great greeting to say if you run into someone on their birthday. If you’d like to make the message a little more respectful, say “tokubetsu na hi o tanoshinde kudasai” (特別な日を楽しんでください)instead.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Pronunciation: Toe-koo-beh-tsu nah he oh tah-no-sheen-deh neh
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Suteki na ichinen ni narimasu you ni: Have a wonderful year This is a great message to include in a written birthday card, and works well for all kinds of relationships.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Pronunciation: Soo-teh-key nah ee-chee-nen nee nah-ree-mahs yo nee
- If you’d like to simplify the message a bit, say “sutekina ichinichi o” (素敵な一日を) instead.

Section 3 of 4:

Happy Birthday Song

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The concept of individual birthday celebrations isn’t deeply rooted in Japanese culture.^{[13]XResearch source} Because of this, Western birthday traditions like singing the “Happy Birthday” song aren’t a major part of Japanese birthday celebrations. When Japanese people do sing the familiar song, they typically do so in English.^{[14]XResearch source}

Section 4 of 4:

Japanese Birthday Culture

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Birthday celebrations aren’t a huge deal in Japan. Prior to 1950, Japanese society collectively celebrated everyone’s birthdays on New Year’s Day (January 1), rather than celebrating individual birthdays. Since 1950, Japan has incorporated other traditions into its birthday culture, though they don’t generate the same fanfare as they do in Western countries.^{[15]XResearch source}
- In Japanese culture, it’s common for people to spend their birthday with their significant other.
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Certain birthdays carry extra importance in Japan. A child’s 3rd, 5th, and 7th birthdays are especially meaningful milestones in Japanese society.^{[16]XResearch source} In fact, Japanese families with young children attend Shichi-go-san (7-5-3 in Japanese) on November 15, an annual festival that commemorates the milestone of young kids growing up.^{[17]XResearch source}
- A young girl’s 3rd and 7th birthdays are typically viewed with special importance, while a young boy’s 3rd and 5th birthdays are viewed in a special light.^{[18]XResearch source}
- A baby’s first birthday also carries special importance in Japan, and Japanese families will often perform special rituals on their child’s special birthday (like erabitori, where the child divines their future by grabbing a random object from a selected assortment of items).^{[19]XResearch source}
The second Monday in January is called Coming of Age Day, which commemorates young adults who have recently turned 20. In Japanese society, 20 is a special age that’s associated with adult independence and self-sufficiency.^{[20]XResearch source}
When someone turns 60, they’ve gone through an entire cycle relating to the animal zodiac, which signifies a sense of rebirth. On this special day (also known as kanreki), individuals wear a special outfit and participate in a special celebration that centers around the color red, which is linked with good fortune.^{[21]XResearch source}

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How do I write 'mum and dad'?
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Formally, it would be お母さん(Mother) と(and) お父さん(Father). This is pronounced Okaasan and Otousan. You can also use はは for Mom and ちち for Dad in informal situations. This is pronounced Haha and Chichi.
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How do I say "I love you" in Japanese?
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You can say "daisuki" for friends and people you like, "aishiteru" in a more serious relationship, and "koishiteru" to the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with.
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How do I say happy birthday in Japanese?
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Tanjobi Omedeto Gozaimasu.
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