Note that you can use this saying in Quebec and other French-speaking parts of Canada, but it is not the most common way to offer birthday wishes there. This phrase translates directly into “happy birthday. " Joyeux means “happy,” “joyful,” or “gleeful. " Anniversaire can mean “birthday” or “anniversary,” but when said alone, it most commonly refers to one’s birthday. To refer to a wedding anniversary, you would say “anniversaire de mariage. "
As with joyeux anniversaire, bon anniversaire can be used and understood in French-speaking parts of Canada, but it is not the most common birthday greeting there. Bon usually means “good” or “well. “[3] X Research source As such, this phrase translates more directly to “have a good birthday” rather than “happy birthday. "
Unlike “joyeux anniversaire” and “bon anniversaire,” “bonne fête” cannot be used in both France and Canada. In France, “bonne fête” would usually be used when wishing someone a good “name day. " One’s “name day” refers to the feast day of the saint one is named after. Bonne is the feminine form of the word “bon”, meaning “good” or “well. " Fête means “celebration. " Translated more directly, “bonne fête” means “have a good celebration. "
Passez is a conjugated form of the French verb “passer,” meaning “pass” or “spend. " Merveilleuse translates into “wonderful. " Une journée means “a day. "
Note that this is not an especially common birthday greeting, but it is acceptable to use. Meilleurs translates into “best,” and “vœux” translates into “wishes” or “greetings. "
This is not an especially common way to wish someone “happy birthday,” but it is slightly more common to congratulate someone on his or her birthday in France than in the United States. Félicitations translates directly to “congratulations” in English.
Only ask this if you know the person well and have already wished him or her a happy birthday. This can easily be misconstrued as rude. You wouldn’t ask a stranger how old they are in English, after all! Quel means “what” or “which. " The French word “âge” means “age” in English.
Je means “I” and vous is a direct object pronoun used to refer to “you. " Souhaite means “wish,” plein means “full,” de means “of,” and bonheur” means “happiness. " En means “on,” cette means “this,” journée means “day,” and spéciale means “special. "
Que here means “may,” vous means “you,” puissiez means “(to) be able,” être means “(to) be,” and heureux (-se) means “happy. " Encore means “still” or “yet” and expresses the “still to come” part of this sentiment. Nombreuses means “many” and années means “years. "
Tous means “all” and vos means “your. " Désirs can mean “desires,” “dreams,” or “wishes. " Se réalisent means “to be brought about. "
