Happy birthday in Italian is Buon compleanno! (bwon kom-pleh-AHN-noh). Just as common is Tanti auguri! (TAHN-tee ow-GOO-ree), literally "many wishes", which is also what Italians sing to the Happy Birthday tune. Both suit anyone, from a child to your boss. The birthday person replies Grazie! or Grazie mille!
- Happy birthday
- Buon compleanno!
- Best wishes
- Tanti auguri!
- She's turning 30
- Compie trent'anni
- Birthday cake
- la torta di compleanno
- Level
- A1
Buon compleanno or tanti auguri?
Use either, or both together. Auguri is the plural of augurio, a wish, and Italians use it for every celebration: birthdays, weddings, exams passed, Christmas. Learn it once and it covers a dozen occasions.
| Italian | Meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Buon compleanno! | Happy birthday! | Anyone, any register |
| Tanti auguri! | Best wishes! | Anyone; the most common spoken wish |
| Auguri! | Best wishes! | Quick and casual |
| Tanti auguri di buon compleanno! | Many happy birthday wishes! | Cards and messages |
| Buon compleanno, amore! | Happy birthday, darling! | A partner or your child |
| Ti faccio tanti auguri. | I wish you a happy birthday. | Informal, to someone you call tu |
| Le faccio tanti auguri. | I wish you a happy birthday. | Formal, to someone you call Lei |
| Cento di questi giorni! | A hundred more days like this! | Traditional and warm |
Compleanno is masculine and starts with a consonant, so it takes buon, the short form of buono, as in buon giorno and buon viaggio.
How do you say how old someone is turning?
Italian uses the verb compiere, to complete: you complete your years. Ages always take anni, and numbers ending in a vowel often elide before it: trent'anni, ottant'anni.
Quanti anni compi?
How old are you turning?
tu
Quanti anni compie?
How old are you turning?
Lei; also "how old is he or she turning?"
Domani compio trent'anni.
I'm turning thirty tomorrow.
Quando è il tuo compleanno?
When is your birthday?
Il mio compleanno è il 3 maggio.
My birthday is on 3 May.
Dates take il; months are lower case.
In a Contos A1 comedy set in Ostuni, in Puglia, Marco sits under a lemon tree with the guest list for a party nobody is supposed to mention:
Nonna Assunta compie ottant'anni sabato prossimo.What do Italians write and say at a birthday?
Italians sing the familiar Happy Birthday tune with tanti auguri in place of the English words. For cards, messages and the party itself, these lines cover most of it:
Tanti auguri da tutti noi!
Best wishes from all of us!
Buon compleanno! Un abbraccio.
Happy birthday! A hug.
A friendly sign-off in a message.
Auguri in ritardo!
Belated birthday wishes!
Spegni le candeline!
Blow out the candles!
Grazie a tutti per gli auguri!
Thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes!
The usual reply on social media.
Many Italians also mark their onomastico, the feast day of the saint they are named after. The wish is Buon onomastico!
Read Grandma Assunta's Secret, an A1 Italian story about a surprise party that keeps going wrong.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you reply to tanti auguri?
Grazie! or Grazie mille! is enough. To someone close you might add sei gentilissimo (to a man) or sei gentilissima (to a woman), you're so kind.
Is it buon compleanno or buono compleanno?
Buon compleanno. Before a masculine noun beginning with most consonants or a vowel, buono shortens to buon. The full buono only appears before s plus a consonant, z, gn or ps, as in buono studio.
What does cento di questi giorni mean?
Literally "a hundred of these days": may you have a hundred more birthdays. It is a traditional, affectionate wish, often heard from older relatives.
How do you say happy belated birthday in Italian?
Auguri in ritardo! or Scusa il ritardo, tanti auguri! (sorry it's late, happy birthday). To someone you call Lei: Scusi il ritardo, tanti auguri!