How to Say Happy Birthday in French: 16 Wishes & Expressions

The Short Answer

The most common way to say happy birthday in French is Joyeux anniversaire (zhwah-YUH ah-nee-vehr-SEHR). This works in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and across Francophone Africa. In Québec, however, the standard birthday greeting is Bonne fête (bun FET), a distinction that catches many French learners off guard.

French is spoken by approximately 321 million people across 29 countries, according to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). Birthday customs vary considerably across this vast francophone world, from the cake-first singing tradition in France to the name day celebrations still observed in parts of Belgium and Switzerland.

"The word anniversaire carries a weight in French that 'birthday' does not in English. It marks the literal 'turning of the year,' connecting the personal milestone to the passage of time itself."

(Nadeau & Barlow, The Story of French, 2006)

This guide covers 16 essential French birthday expressions organized by category: standard wishes, casual and affectionate phrases, formal greetings, and regional variations. Each includes pronunciation, cultural context, and example sentences so you can wish anyone a happy birthday with confidence.

Quick Reference: French Birthday Wishes at a Glance

Standard Birthday Wishes

These are the core birthday expressions every French learner should know. They work in any French-speaking country and suit most social situations.

Joyeux anniversaire

Joyeux anniversaire is the single most important birthday phrase in French. The word anniversaire comes from the Latin anniversarius (returning yearly) and in French it means both "birthday" and "anniversary." Context makes the meaning clear: when directed at a person on their special day, it always means birthday.

Pronunciation tip: joyeux begins with the "zh" sound (like the "s" in "pleasure"), and the stress falls on the final syllable of each word. The nasal "an" in anniversaire sounds like "ahn" without fully closing the "n."

Bon anniversaire

The difference between Joyeux anniversaire and Bon anniversaire is one of the most common questions French learners ask. The honest answer: there is almost no practical difference. Joyeux emphasizes joy and celebration, while bon is a general wish for a good day. Both are universally correct and native speakers use them interchangeably.

If anything, Bon anniversaire feels slightly more understated and conversational, while Joyeux anniversaire carries more celebratory energy. Think of it as the difference between "Happy birthday!" and "Have a great birthday!", both perfectly natural.

Bonne fête

This is where things get interesting. In Québec, Bonne fête is the default birthday greeting. It is what people write on cards, sing in songs, and say when handing over gifts. In France, however, fête historically refers to a name day (fête du prénom), the feast day of the Catholic saint whose name you share.

The distinction traces back to early French colonial history. As Nadeau and Barlow document in The Story of French, Québécois French preserved many older French usages that evolved differently in Metropolitan France. The broader meaning of fête as any personal celebration is one such holdover.

Bon anniv

Just as English speakers write "HBD" or "happy bday," French speakers shorten anniversaire to anniv in casual contexts. You will see Bon anniv constantly on social media, WhatsApp messages, and birthday posts. It is warm but decidedly informal, so do not use it in a professional card or with someone you address as vous.

Warm and Heartfelt Wishes

These expressions go beyond the basic "happy birthday" to convey deeper affection. Use them in cards, toasts, and messages to people you care about.

Que tous tes souhaits se réalisent

This is the quintessential birthday card phrase in French. It connects beautifully to the candle-blowing moment, since after the birthday person makes their silent wish, this expression extends that hope. For the formal vous version, replace tes with vos: Que tous vos souhaits se réalisent.

Je te souhaite un joyeux anniversaire

Adding Je te souhaite (I wish you) before the birthday greeting makes it more personal and deliberate. This form is particularly common in written messages and spoken toasts where you want to express genuine warmth rather than just tossing off a quick "happy birthday."

Que cette année t'apporte beaucoup de joie

This expression is perfect for birthday cards because it looks forward rather than just marking the day. French birthday wishes often emphasize the year ahead, the idea that a birthday is a turning point, a fresh start. You can customize it by swapping joie for bonheur (happiness), amour (love), or santé (health).

Passe une merveilleuse journée

A warm all-purpose wish that pairs well with any birthday greeting. Merveilleuse (wonderful, marvelous) elevates it beyond a simple Bonne journée. For the formal register, switch to Passez une merveilleuse journée.

Formal Birthday Expressions

For professional colleagues, business contacts, elderly relatives, or anyone you address with vous, these formal expressions show respect while still conveying warmth.

Je vous souhaite un très heureux anniversaire

When writing to a supervisor, client, or elder, this is the safest and most elegant choice. The use of heureux (happy, fortunate) instead of joyeux (joyous) gives it a slightly more refined, literary tone. According to the Académie française, heureux carries connotations of both happiness and good fortune.

Meilleurs vœux

Meilleurs vœux is the Swiss army knife of French formal wishes. It works for birthdays, New Year, retirements, and virtually any celebration. For birthdays specifically, you can extend it: Meilleurs vœux pour votre anniversaire (Best wishes for your birthday) or Meilleurs vœux de bonheur et de santé (Best wishes for happiness and health).

The word vœux (wishes, vows) is one of those French words with a pronunciation that surprises English speakers: the "œu" sounds approximately like the "u" in "burn," and the final "x" is silent.

Tous mes vœux de bonheur

This is the expression for when you want to sound genuinely distinguished. It appears frequently in formal greeting cards and written correspondence. Bonheur (happiness, bliss) is one of the most beautiful words in French. It combines bon (good) and heur (an archaic word for fortune or luck).

Playful and Casual Expressions

For close friends, siblings, and people you joke around with, these expressions add humor and personality to your birthday wishes.

À ta santé !

Birthday celebrations in France almost always involve a shared meal, and where there is a meal, there is wine. À ta santé ! is the natural toast raised at the table. It is not exclusively a birthday expression, but it is an essential part of French birthday celebrations.

Bon anniversaire, vieux !

French friends love to tease each other about age on birthdays. Calling someone vieux (old man) or vieille (old girl/woman) is an affectionate ribbing, not an insult, much the same way English speakers might say "happy birthday, old man." This only works with people you know very well.

Hip hip hip hourra !

After singing Joyeux anniversaire and blowing out the candles, many French families follow up with Hip hip hip hourra ! One person leads with "Hip hip hip..." and everyone responds with "Hourra!" Some families repeat it once per year of age, though this tradition tends to fade gracefully as the birthday person gets older.

Belated Birthday Wishes

Joyeux anniversaire en retard

Forgetting a birthday is a genuine social misstep in France. If it happens, acknowledge the delay directly with en retard (late) and pair it with an apology. A common alternative is Joyeux anniversaire avec un peu de retard (happy birthday with a little delay), which sounds slightly softer.

Je te souhaite le meilleur

A beautifully simple expression that works as both a birthday wish and a general expression of goodwill. It is particularly effective as the closing line of a longer birthday message.

French Birthday Customs Worth Knowing

Understanding French birthday traditions helps you handle celebrations like a local. Here are the customs that most surprise visitors.

French birthday parties also differ from Anglo-Saxon customs in a few notable ways. The birthday person is often expected to organize (and sometimes pay for) their own celebration, especially among adults. It is common for a French person to bring croissants or a cake to the office on their own birthday, rather than waiting for colleagues to surprise them.

Children's birthdays, by contrast, follow a more familiar pattern. The goûter d'anniversaire (birthday snack party), typically held on Wednesday afternoons (when French schools are off), involves games, a gâteau d'anniversaire (birthday cake), and bags of candy sent home with each guest.

How to Write a French Birthday Card

Here are templates for different situations and relationships.

Casual (Friends, Family)

Formal (Colleagues, Elders)

Practice With Real French Content

Hearing birthday wishes spoken naturally (with the right intonation, the right warmth, the right rhythm) is what makes them stick. French-language films are full of celebration scenes that showcase these expressions in context.

Wordy lets you watch French movies and shows with interactive subtitles, so you can tap on any phrase to see its meaning, pronunciation, and cultural context in real time. Instead of memorizing phrases from a list, you absorb them from real conversations with authentic emotion and delivery.

For more French language guides, explore our blog or check out the best movies to learn French. You can also visit our French learning page to start practicing today.