Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! (AH-les GOO-teh tsoom geh-BOORTS-tahk) is the standard way to say happy birthday in German, and it suits anyone. Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag! is slightly more formal and common in cards. Friends often just say Alles Gute! One rule matters more than the wording: never wish it before the day itself.
- Standard
- Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
- Cards, colleagues
- Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag!
- Short
- Alles Gute!
- Belated
- Alles Gute nachträglich!
- Level
- A1
Alles Gute or herzlichen Glückwunsch: which should you say?
Both are correct with everyone from your grandmother to your manager. Alles Gute (all the best) feels a touch warmer and more spoken; herzlichen Glückwunsch (heartfelt congratulations) is the classic line on a card or in an office email. Herzlichen Glückwunsch on its own also works for a new job, a wedding or a passed exam, so add zum Geburtstag when you mean the birthday.
| German | Feel | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! | Neutral | In person, on the phone, in a message |
| Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag! | Neutral to formal | Cards, colleagues, older relatives |
| Alles Liebe zum Geburtstag! | Affectionate | Partner, family, close friends |
| Alles Gute! | Casual | A quick hug or a text |
| Ich wünsche dir alles Gute zum Geburtstag. | Warm, du | Someone you call du |
| Ich wünsche Ihnen alles Gute zum Geburtstag. | Polite, Sie | Your landlord, a client, a teacher |
| Happy Birthday! | Casual | Plenty of Germans use the English, especially online |
The grammar is fixed, so learn the phrases whole. Zum is zu + dem, because Geburtstag is masculine (der Geburtstag). The verb hidden behind all of them is wünschen (to wish): with du you wish dir, with Sie you wish Ihnen.
Is it bad luck to say happy birthday early in Germany?
Many Germans think so. Congratulating someone before their birthday is said to bring bad luck, and even people who don't believe it will wince politely. If you meet a friend the evening before, say something neutral and wait until midnight, or until you next see them.
That superstition explains reinfeiern: a party the night before that "celebrates in" the birthday, so the toasts can start the second the clock strikes twelve. If you miss the day, there is a ready-made apology: Alles Gute nachträglich!, all the best, belatedly.
Wir feiern heute Abend in deinen Geburtstag rein.
We're celebrating into your birthday tonight.
Alles Gute nachträglich! Tut mir leid, ich habe es vergessen.
Happy belated birthday! Sorry, I forgot.
Wie alt wirst du?
How old are you turning?
German uses werden (to become): Ich werde dreißig, I'm turning thirty.
How do Germans celebrate a birthday?
Afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) with family is a classic, especially for older relatives and for a runder Geburtstag, a birthday ending in zero.
Two customs surprise visitors. At work, the person having the birthday often brings the cake for colleagues. And at a party in a bar, the birthday person may well pay for the first round. A surprise party is an Überraschungsparty.
How do you reply when someone wishes you happy birthday?
A simple Danke! or Vielen Dank! is enough. If someone has gone to trouble, add a sentence about it. The song you will hear is usually the English tune with German words, Zum Geburtstag viel Glück, or simply Happy Birthday in English.
Danke, das ist lieb von dir!
Thanks, that's sweet of you!
To someone you call du.
Vielen Dank, das ist sehr nett von Ihnen.
Thank you very much, that's very kind of you.
Sie: a colleague you don't know well, a neighbour.
Liebe Anna, alles Gute zum Geburtstag und ein tolles neues Lebensjahr!
Dear Anna, happy birthday and a great year ahead!
A typical card. To a man: Lieber Tom.
When the guests arrive you will need the greetings in how to say good morning in German, and once the glasses come out, cheers in German.
Read Grandma's Secret Cake from chapter 1 and tap any word you don't know.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Geburtstag?
Roughly "geh-BOORTS-tahk". The stress is on the second syllable, the r is soft, and the final g sounds like a k. Geburt means birth and Tag means day.
What do you write in a German birthday card?
Start with Liebe (to a woman) or Lieber (to a man) and the name, then Alles Gute zum Geburtstag or Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag. End with Alles Liebe (with love) or Viele Grüße (best wishes) and your name.
What does Alles Gute nachträglich mean?
All the best, belatedly: the German happy belated birthday. It is the polite fix when you have missed the day, and much better than wishing someone happy birthday too early.
How do you say happy birthday to a group, such as twins?
Use euch, the plural you: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag euch beiden! (happy birthday to you both). In a formal card, Ihnen covers one person or several.
Is Herzlichen Glückwunsch only for birthdays?
No. It means congratulations, so it works for a wedding, a baby, a new job or a passed driving test. Add zum Geburtstag, zur Hochzeit (on your wedding) and so on to be specific.