Happy birthday in French

Happy birthday in French

Why did I write a post on happy birthday in French. I live in a foreign country and my daughter had her first birthday. We sang happy birthday in Polish and then in English. Since I also study and speak  the French language, I thought this would a nice little post, so you do not have to use a dictionary to translate the literal meaning of what you hear.

To say happy birthday in Paris, France or Montreal, Quebec (one of my favorate cities, espcially the Latin quarter along St. Dennis street) you simply say:

• Bonne Fete – in Quebec or French Canada
• Joyeux anniversaire in French in France
• Bon anniversaire also in France

The word ‘bon’ means ‘good’. In fact a candy is ‘bon bon’ in French. ‘Anni’ comes from Latin meaning year, that is pretty clear. ‘Joyeux’ is the same as in English, joyous. What about ‘fete’? It looks like festival does it not?

Happy birthday in French

Name day versus Birthday

In European catholic countries like France, there was a tradition that is now fading, that is to celebrate your name day. The day of your patron Saint’s name. So my name is Mark. On the day of St. Mark I would have a birthday like celebration with the exchanging of gifts. I prefer, birthdays as it is more personal. Although I am very religious I still like secular celebrations in most cases, birthdays included.

If you know someone over lets say 50 and you are living in France, its good to check if they prefer name day or a birthday celebration

History of Happy Birthdays in France

Birthdays in France were connected with the coming of age. Some one’s 15th birthday in France way back when was when a boy was a man and a girl was a woman. It was a rite of passage. The US has something like a ‘fun’, sweet sixteen.

French for happy birthday

People would have a debutant’s party (when a person first appear to the public), or a birthday ball. In the Middle Ages in France people would conceal rings and gold in the cakes.

In modern France birthdays that end in zero have a longer celebration. Further, the French go out to dinner for the birthday songs and celebrations more than Americans.

It is interesting to note that the American song happy birthday still has a copyright and is illegal to sing in public without permission. The same is not true for happy birthday in French, luckily. The American version copy right will expire in 2030 in the USA and 2016 in France and the EU.

Tags: French words