In this article, we’ll learn how to say “Happy Birthday” in Korean.
There are a few different ways to say “Happy Birthday” in Korean, and you can also use the happy birthday verb for other situations. It’s quite useful!
Looking to get some singing practice? Well, you’re in luck, then. Not only will we explain that phrase, but weβll also teach you the famous Happy Birthday song–in Korean!
Want to join the fun at your next Korean birthday party? To help you put what you’ve learned in this lesson to use, we made a PDF sing-along sheet for the Happy Birthday song in Korean. You can print this out or use it on your smartphone to sing the Korean version of the Happy Birthday song. Check it out below:
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“Happy Birthday” in Korean
Maybe you have some Korean friends or a Korean significant other. Or you might be taking a trip to Korea soon, and want to make a good impression during your visit by studying this vocabulary. Then you’ll definitely want to know the words for “happy birthday” in Korean.
Before we dive in, check out this video on how to say “Happy Birthday” in Korean:
“Birthday” in Korean
The word “birthday” in Korean is μμΌ (saengil). You can use this word when referring to your own birthday. You can also use it when referring to the birthday of somebody who is of a similar or younger age than yourself.
However, if you want to refer to the birthday of somebody who is a lot older than you, then you should use the word μμ (saengsin) instead. You would likely use this version of “birthday” with people such as your grandparents or older relatives.
“Birthday” is one of those special Korean words that have an honorific version of the word, which is used when talking to people about a generation (or more) older than you. Honorifics in the Korean language are used to show respect to elders.
Some other nouns with this honorific form include “age” and “house.” Some verbs with an honorific form include “to exist,” “to eat,” and “to sleep.” These are keywords to know if you want to learn to speak Korean.
We’ll give you the different formal levels to pronounce it below in the νκΈ (Hangeul), the Korean alphabet, with Romanization. But if you can’t read the Korean alphabet yet, it’d be a massive boost to your Korean learning if you did. It’s easy to learn, so why not give it a try?
Now, let’s go to the fun part! Let’s learn how to say “Happy birthday” in Korean.
How to Say “Happy Birthday” in Korean
Here are three ways to say “Happy Birthday” in Korean:
- μμ μ μΆνλ립λλ€ (saengsineul chukadeurimnida)
- μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€ (saengil chukahamnida)
- μμΌ μΆνν΄ (saengil chukahae)
Each of these phrases has a different level of formality and should be used appropriately depending on who you are speaking to.
We’ll explain each one and give you an audio guide on how to pronounce them.
“Happy Birthday” in Korean (formal)
The formal way to say “Happy Birthday” in Korean is μμ μ μΆνλ립λλ€ (saengsineul chukadeurimnida). You can use this phrase when saying “happy birthday” to people who are much older than you. It uses the formal word for birthday.
Listen here:
The verb here is μΆννλ€ (chukahada), which means “to celebrate” or “to congratulate.” It’s combined with the verb λλ¦¬λ€ (deurida), which is the formal version of “to give.” You would use this version of happy birthday in Korean to show a lot of respect for the person you’re saying it to. You might use this with your grandparents or your professor at your university.
You can use a less formal version (such as the standard or informal version) of “Happy birthday” if it’s someone that is close to you and/or younger than you.
“Happy Birthday” in Korean (standard)
There are two ways to “Happy Birthday” in Korean that follow the standard form: μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€! (saengil chukahamnida) and μμΌ μΆνν΄μ! (saengil chukahaeyo). These versions are considered polite.
Listen Here:
Listen Here:
μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€! (saengil chukahamnida) and μμΌ μΆνν΄μ! (saengil chukhahaeyo) are set phrases and can be used on most occasions. They are also the versions of “happy birthday” that appear on birthday cards.
The two versions are similar, except that the ν©λλ€ (hamnida) version is slightly more formal.
The word μΆνν©λλ€ (chukahamnida) in μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€ (saengil chukahamnida) means “to congratulate”. You can say this word on its own if you want to congratulate somebody on achieving something.
If you only want to learn one way how to say “happy birthday” in Korean, then learn these phrases.
Saengil Chukhahaeyo Meaning
Saengil Chukhahaeyo means “Happy birthday.” It is the common Romanization of the Korean birthday greeting “μμΌ μΆνν΄μ.” It’s a slightly less formal version μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€! (saengil chukahamnida) but is still considered polite.
“Happy Birthday” in Korean (informal)
“Happy Birthday” in Korean is μμΌ μΆνν΄! (saengil chukahae). It’s considered the informal/casual version and can be used with friends of the same age.
Listen here:
It’s very similar to μμΌ μΆνν΄μ (saengil chukahaeyo), except the final μ (yo)Β is dropped at the end. This makes it much more informal. Use it wisely!
Some examples of people you might use this version of the phrase with would be close friends, young children, spouses, or siblings. Even though it’s informal, there is some benefit in using this “happy birthday” phrase appropriately. It shows a degree of closeness that you wouldn’t get with the other, more formal versions.
How to Write “Happy Birthday” in Korean
Here’s how to write Korean birthday greetings:
“Happy Birthday” in Korean (formal) Β β μμ μ μΆνλ립λλ€
“Happy Birthday” in Korean (standard) β μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€Β or μμΌ μΆνν΄μ
“Happy Birthday” in Korean (informal) β μμΌ μΆνν΄
You can read our guide on Hangul Stroke Order to improve your Korean writing skills. Practice writing these phrases today, and let us know how you did in the comments section!
Birthdays in Korea
Here we’ll talk about the different beliefs,Β practices, and traditions when people celebrate birthdays in Korea.
Korean Birthday Food
Usually, on people’s birthdays, their friends or co-workers will buy them a birthday cake. The cake is then eaten as a group, like your co-workers or loved ones.
When buying a cake in Korea, you will often be asked how many candles μμ΄ (yangcho) you need. These candles, along with some matches, will be placed inside the cake’s box.
People often eat seaweed soup λ―Έμκ΅ (miyeokguk) on their birthday as this is a food that mothers often eat during pregnancy in Korea.
Korean Birthday Party
In the past, infant mortality was very high in Korea, so traditionally, a child’s first birthday is very important. Parents will throw a huge party, called a λμμΉ (doljanchi), on this day. They will invite lots of people. If you live in Korea, you might end up being invited to such a party.
Korean Birthday Song
The Korean birthday song is a familiar song to many as it uses the tune of the English happy birthday song. The only difference would be the language used in the song.
In the section below, you’ll learn the Korean birthday song lyrics.
Happy Birthday Song in Korean
Here we’ll learn Happy Birthday in Korean Lyrics.Β This song follows the same tune as “happy birthday” in English and is very easy to learn.
β© βͺ β«
μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€
μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€
μ¬λνλ (insert name) μ¨
μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€
βͺ β«
saengil chukahamnida
saengil chukahamnida
saranghaneun (insert name) ssi
saengil chukahamnida
Wrap Up
Now that you know how to say AND sing “happy birthday” in Korean, why not write a birthday greeting too? Creating one will be easier if you learn about Korean sentence structure. Now, itβs time to go out and celebrate!
How could i say “Its (name) birthday today!” my friend is younger by a couple months and a girl.
Hello! You can say μ€λ [name] μμΌμ΄μΌ, which is an informal way to say “it’s ~’s birthday today”. ^^
Thank you, so many places only offer the regular happy birthday version, not the jeondanmal version. Cheersπ
Thanks for the comment. Cheers! ^^
In that song, ‘saranghaneun’ means love, right? Is it okay to sing that to my friend, without making the person misunderstand the meaning?
Hi, Laurent! When you use “μ¬λνλ” in front of someone’s name, it means “dear ~”. It’s okay to say it to your friend. ^^
Is it ok that instead of ____ ssi, I will just replace it by saying the first name? Because i am greeting someone younger.
Hi, Minari! You should call that person “name + 쨔 at the beginning even if that person is younger than you! After you get close to each other, you can ask if it’s okay to call him/her by his/her name. ^^
Yeah
I don’t know
But maybe you can add
Dongsaeng(λ©μ)
It means younger sibling
Or I guess you can add uri(μ°λ¦¬) it means our and you can add the name
It will be
Saranghaneun uri ( name)
You can use λμ, it is a term used to call younger sibling. μ¬λνλ μ°λ¦¬ [name] can be used as well, it means “my dear [name]” in English.
is is necessary to add ssi after the name of the person?
Hi, Saelang! If you are close to that person, you don’t have to add ssi after the name. ^^
ssi Is a syllable used to show respect for a person ,if a person’s name is Hong ya chul so if you call him out by that itself it sounds kinda rude but if you call him Hong ya chul ssi it sounds more respectful and polite . however it is not necessary to use it . among friends it is common to not use ssi . just use it when you’re taking to some person elder to you.