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Happy birthday in French.
What to write.

Joyeux anniversaire is the standard phrase. Bon anniversaire is warmer and more common between friends.

Pick your group, drop in their name, and sign.

Create a cardRead a sample card

Everyone's words in one card.

Updated

A pair of socks. Happy birthday. It's socks. You knew it was socks.

Bon anniversaire, mon ami. On fête ça ce soir.

From Kofi

Bon anniversaire de toute la famille. On t'embrasse fort.

From Rosa

Joyeux anniversaire. Tous mes voeux.

From Sam

Pick a design

  • Marker lettering with a highlighter stroke. Happy birthday. You still can't fold a fitted sheet and that's fine.
  • Two-colour printed lettering. Happy birthday. Yes, there's cake. No, you don't have to speak.
  • A cake. Happy birthday. Second slice is allowed. Third is between you and the fridge.
  • Marker lettering. Happy birthday. First round's on you. "us" is crossed out and "you" written above it.
  • Marker lettering. Happy birthday. I got you a card. "present" is crossed out and "card" written above it.
  • A set of car keys. Happy birthday. Still got it. Not sure where you put it.
  • Marker lettering with a highlighter stroke. Happy birthday. Stay exactly as you are. Maybe tidier.
  • Celebrating. Look at you. Another year, still shining.
  • A roast potato. Happy birthday. Have the last roast potato.
  • Sparklers. The sky gets ten minutes. You get the whole day.

The question

Each writer gets a question.

One at a time, about Sam. They answer in their own words, or write without one.

Who they are to you
  1. Something Sam did this year that you still think about.
  2. Words of Sam's that you have caught yourself using.
  3. A day Sam made better just by turning up.
  4. Something Sam taught you without meaning to.
  5. A small thing about Sam that nobody else would notice.
  6. The story about Sam you tell most.
  1. The moment you knew you had a proper friend in Sam.
  2. Something Sam did that only a friend would.
  3. A thing you still laugh about together.
  4. The time Sam turned up when it mattered.
  5. Something Sam knew about you before you said it.
  1. Something Sam did for the family that went unsaid.
  2. A habit of Sam's that you have caught yourself copying.
  3. A memory of Sam from when you were younger.
  4. Something Sam put up with from you.
  5. Something Sam taught you, mostly by example.
  1. A small thing Sam did that you noticed and never mentioned.
  2. The moment you knew.
  3. Something Sam did this year that made things easier for you.
  4. A thing about Sam you would not change.
  5. Something Sam carried that was yours to carry.
  1. The thing you go to Sam for.
  2. Something you picked up from working beside Sam.
  3. A bad day at work that Sam turned round.
  4. Something a new starter should be told about Sam.
  5. Something Sam did that made the job feel worth doing.

Or write without one.

Happy birthday messages in French

Use joyeux anniversaire for formal or fun. Use bon anniversaire for someone you know well.

From a close friend

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Tu mérites tout le bonheur du monde aujourd'hui.

  • Bon anniversaire, mon ami. On fête ça ce soir.

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Merci d'être toi, même les jours difficiles.

  • Bon anniversaire. La prochaine tournée est pour toi.

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Je suis fier de t'appeler mon ami.

From family

  • Joyeux anniversaire, mon chéri. Toute la famille pense à toi aujourd'hui.

  • Bon anniversaire. Nous t'aimons plus que les mots ne peuvent le dire.

  • Joyeux anniversaire, ma chérie. Profite bien de ta journée.

  • Bon anniversaire de toute la famille. On t'embrasse fort.

For someone you barely know

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Bonne journée à toi.

  • Bon anniversaire. J'espère que tu passes une belle journée.

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Tous mes voeux.

  • Bon anniversaire et bonne continuation.

Funny

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Les années passent, mais toi tu restes aussi impossible qu'avant.

  • Bon anniversaire. Le gâteau est sans calorie en France, c'est la loi.

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Tu vieillis, mais avec beaucoup de classe.

  • Bon anniversaire. Je t'aurais appelé, mais écrire était moins gênant.

Short

  • Joyeux anniversaire.

  • Bon anniversaire. Profite bien.

  • Joyeux anniversaire à toi.

  • Bon anniversaire. Santé.

  • Joyeux anniversaire. Avec tout mon affection.

What to leave out

Do not paste in a machine translation and leave it at that, because French speakers notice immediately and it reads colder than English.

Do not mix formal vous and informal tu in the same message. Stay in one.

Do not write a long English message and add joyeux anniversaire at the end as decoration. Either write in French or write in English. Both is neither.

Do not use bon anniversaire and joyeux anniversaire interchangeably in the same card. Choose one.

One card from everyone

Friends, family, colleagues. One link, and it opens on the birthday morning.

  1. 01

    Set the birthday date.

    The card opens that morning. Nobody sees it early.

  2. 02

    Share the link.

    Each person writes their own birthday message in a browser.

  3. 03

    They read it on the day.

    Every message signed with a name. In French, in English, or both.

Create a card

Questions

What is the most common way to say happy birthday in French?

Joyeux anniversaire is what you hear most often. Bon anniversaire is equally correct and feels a little warmer between friends.

Can I write a birthday card in French if I am not fluent?

Yes. A short message written carefully beats a long one written badly. Stick to what you know and it will land well with a French speaker who can tell you tried.

Is there a French birthday song?

Yes, Joyeux anniversaire is sung to the same melody as the English version. The words swap in directly.

Part of group birthday card.

More guides

Somebody has a day coming up.

Create a card

Everyone's words in one card.