Want to know how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Greenlandic? 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 Greenlandic, why not also sing the Greenlandic version of the happy birthday song!
Read on to learn more about this.
Table of Contents
How To Say ‘Happy Birthday’ In Greenlandic
To wish someone a happy birthday in Greenlandic, you can say:
| English | Greenlandic |
|---|---|
| Happy birthday | Inuuinni Pilluarit |
This is pronounced as ‘in-oo-ini pesh-lua-rit’.
Greenlandic Birthday Wishes & Phrases
Alternatively, you can also use some of these phrases:
| English | Greenlandic |
|---|---|
| Congratulations | Pilluarit |
| Have a nice day | Ulloq naalluarniariuk |
If you’re speaking to someone special then you’ll want to know how to say I love you in Greenlandic.
How To Sing Happy Birthday In Greenlandic
If you want to go the extra mile for your loved one or friend, try singing the happy birthday song in Greenlandic.
Check out the video below to hear the Greenlandic birthday song. I’ve listed the lyrics below so you can sing along.
Here’s the lyrics so you can sing along:
“Inuuissiortoq pilluarit
qanortoq inuummersorit
Inuuissiorninni taakkuulluta
tamatta nuannaarpugut.
Skålerta pitsammik taakkuulluta
tamatta nikutserluta
inuummersoqqullugu qaaqqusisoq
ullorsiortoq una.”
This translates roughly to:
“Congratulations – birthday child
I wish you a wonderful life
We who are gathered here for your birthday
are all in a good mood
Let us who are here bring out a toast
and all rise up
May our host live long
Our host, celebrating an anniversary”
Greenland 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 Greenlandic birthday traditions.
Kaffemik
When it’s someone’s birthday in Greenland, a kaffemik is held to celebrate.
This is where you invite people over to your home (often over 50 people!) and you all celebrate together. It’s similar to a party – you come over, bring a gift, talk for a while and eat food.
You’ll often find traditional Greenlandic foods at these parties such as fish soup, seal, dried fish, whale blubber and sometimes even polar bear. Coffee is also served at these parties (the clue is in the name ‘kaffemik’.)
If you’re visiting Greenland, hopefully you’ll be lucky enough to be invited to a kaffemik. They are excellent opportunities to get to know Greenlandic culture.
Coin Throwing
A common occurrence at many Greenlandic celebrations including birthdays is coin throwing.
Someone will usually shout ‘Pagaaaaa’ and then throw a handful of coins into the crowd. Everyone will then scramble on the floor trying to pick up as many coins as possible.
Thanks for reading this post on how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Greenland.
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!
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