Want to know how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Danish? You’re in the right place.
It’s always nice to wish someone a happy birthday on their special day but why not do it in a language that means something to them.
As well as wishing your loved one a happy birthday in Danish, why not also sing the Danish version of the happy birthday song! Read on to learn more about this.
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How To Say ‘Happy Birthday’ In Danish
To wish someone a happy birthday in Danish, you can say:
| English | Danish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Happy birthday | Tillykke med fødselsdagen | Til loogeh me foo-ses-day-en |
| Happy birthday (shorter version) | Tillykke med dagen | Til loogeh me day-en |
These phrases are used to say ‘happy birthday’ in Danish however literally they translate to ‘congratulations with the birthday’.
To hear the pronunciation of this phrase, check out the below video. Skip to 1:00 for ‘happy birthday’.
Alternatively, you can also use some of these phrases:
| English | Danish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Congrats to you | Tillykke til dig | Til loogeh til dah |
| Best wishes | De bedste ønskner | Ti pe-ste oonsk-nah |
| Congratulations | Tillykke | Til loog |
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How To Sing Happy Birthday In Danish
If you want to go the extra mile for your loved one or friend, try singing the happy birthday song in Danish.
The Danish birthday song, I dag er det, actually has 4 verses. At a Danish birthday party, they don’t always sing all 4 verses (some do, some don’t) but I’ve listed all 4 verses here just in case.
There’s some parts of the song that are slightly altered depending on who you’re singing to.
- You put the birthday girl/boy’s name into the song.
- Some parts say he (han) or she (hun).
- There’s one part that refers to the birthday person getting home from school (skole). This is often replaced with work (arbejde) instead of school (skole) if the person is older.
When singing to an adult, another common variation is to just sing the first and last verse of the song rather than the whole thing (this therefore eliminates the verse that discusses school).
Check out the video below to hear the Danish birthday song and an explanation of the variations of the song. I’ve listed the lyrics below so you can sing along. The song starts at 3:14.
Here’s the lyrics so you can sing along:
“I dag er det *name*s fødselsdag
Hurra, hurra, hurra!
han/hun sikkert sig en gave får
som han/hun har ønsket sig i år
med dejlig chokolade og kager til.
Hvor smiler han/hun hvor er han/hun glad
Hurra, hurra, hurra!
men denne dag er også rar
for hjemme venter mor og far
med dejlig chokolade og kager til.
Og når han/hun hjem fra skole(/arbejde) går
Hurra, hurra, hurra!
så skal han/hun hjem og holde fest
og dem, som kommer med som gæst
får dejlig chokolade og kager til.
Til slut vi råber højt i kor:
Hurra, hurra, hurra!
Gid *name* længe leve må
og sine ønsker opfyldt få
med dejlig chokolade og kager til”
This translates to:
“Today it is *name*’s birthday
Hurray, hurray, hurray!
He/she probably receives a present
that he/she has wished for this year
with lovely chocolate and cakes.
How he/she smiles how he/she is happy
Hurray, hurray, hurray!
But this day is also nice
because at home waits mom and dad
with lovely chocolate and cakes.
And when he/she comes home from school(/work)
Hurray, hurray, hurray!
He/she is going to have a party
and the guests who are attending
will have nice chocolate and cakes.
At last we will sing loudly in choir:
Hurray, hurray, hurray!
May *name* live long
and have his/her wishes come true
with lovely chocolate and cakes.”
The song often ends with a chant of 3 hurras!
Danish Birthday Traditions
Birthday traditions can be very important to many people on their birthdays. To make your loved one feel extra special you can also try some of these Danish birthday traditions.
Bring Your Own Cake
In Denmark, you’ll be expected to bring your own birthday cake to work with you so if you work in an office, don’t forget cake for all your co-workers.
Pepper and Cinnamon
If you’re still unmarried by the age of 25, a fun Danish birthday tradition is to douse the birthday person with cinnamon on their 25th birthday. If you reach your 30th birthday still unmarried, then you’ll be doused in pepper instead!
Flags
The Danish flag is closely linked to birthday celebrations in Denmark. If you’re at work, you’ll likely find that your colleagues will have placed a Danish flag on your desk. You’ll also find lots of these flags if you’re having a party, the Danes often put up a pathway of Danish flags to guide people to the party.
Thanks for reading this post on how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Danish.
It’s a great idea to make the effort to learn how to say this in someone’s native language or a language that means something to them.
Your loved one or friend will be so impressed!
Increase your vocabulary further by learning the country names in Danish.
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