Want to know how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Irish Gaelic? 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 Irish, why not also sing the Irish version of the happy birthday song!
Read on to learn more about this.
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How To Say ‘Happy Birthday’ In Irish Gaelic
To wish someone a happy birthday in Irish, you can say:
| English | Irish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Happy birthday | Lá breithe sona duit | Law breh-ha sun-ah ditch |
| Happy birthday (plural) | Lá breithe sona daoibh | Law breh-ha sun-ah deev |
You can use the plural version of ‘happy birthday’ if you’re speaking to twins or multiple people who have a birthday!
To hear the pronunciation of these phrases, check out the below video:
Alternatively, you can also use some of these phrases:
| English | Irish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Congratulations | Comhghairdeas | Koh-ghawr-jess |
| Good health to you | Sláinte | Slawn-cha |
How To Sing Happy Birthday In Irish
If you want to go the extra mile for your loved one or friend, try singing the happy birthday song in Irish. You’ll be happy to know it’s the same tune as the English version, they just sing it in Irish.
To hear the song, check the recording on this website.
Here’s the lyrics so you can sing along:
“Lá breithe sona duit,
lá breithe sona duit,
lá breithe sona duit a *name*,
lá breithe sona duit”
This translates to:
“Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to *name*
Happy birthday to you!”
Irish 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 Irish birthday traditions.
Birthday Bumps
A common Irish birthday tradition is to take the birthday person and ‘bump’ them. This involves holding the person upside down and gently bumping their head on the ground. The number of bumps equals the age of the person. You often also get an extra bump for good luck.
21st Birthday Tradition
Another Irish tradition is that when you turn 21 you are given a key to the house. This is supposed to signify that you are now an adult and can come and go as you please.
Nose Butter
Another funny Irish birthday tradition is to sneak up to someone on their birthday and smear butter on their nose! This is supposed to bring the birthday girl/boy good luck on their birthday.
Thanks for reading this post on how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Irish.
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!
Why not also learn the names of the different countries in Irish too! This vocabulary can be very useful.
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