How to say happy birthday in Danish
Tillykke med fødselsdagen
Say it like this: teh-LUK-keh meh FUR-sels-dah-en
To say happy birthday in Danish, you say "Tillykke med fødselsdagen". It is the greeting used all over Denmark, and also in the Faroe Islands and Greenland, where many people speak Danish. Here is how to say it, plus other cheerful ways to send your wishes.
"Tillykke" means congratulations ("til lykke" means "to luck" or "to happiness"). "Med" means with, and "fødselsdagen" means the birthday. So it means "congratulations on your birthday".
Other ways to say happy birthday in Danish
- Tillykke!Say it like this: teh-LUK-kehMeans "congratulations!". Short and very common. Fine for anyone.
- Tillykke med dagen!Say it like this: teh-LUK-keh meh DAH-enMeans "congratulations on the day!". Friendly and easy, great in a text.
- Hjertelig tillykke med fødselsdagenSay it like this: YAIR-teh-lee teh-LUK-keh meh FUR-sels-dah-enMeans "heartfelt congratulations on your birthday". Warm, nice in a card.
- Stort tillykke!Say it like this: STORT teh-LUK-kehMeans "big congratulations!". Good for a special birthday like 18, 30 or 60.
- Hav en dejlig dag!Say it like this: HOW en DIE-lee DAHMeans "have a lovely day!". A kind extra line after the greeting.
- Hurra!Say it like this: hoo-RAHDanes often cheer "hurra" three times for the birthday person, usually after the song.
The Happy Birthday song in Danish
I dag er det [name]s fødselsdag,
hurra, hurra, hurra!
Han sikkert sig en gave får,
som han har ønsket sig i år.
This is the opening of "I dag er det [name]s fødselsdag", the best loved Danish birthday song, sung to its own tune. Otto Mikkelsen wrote the words and music, first printed in 1913. For a girl or woman, sing "hun" in place of "han". Many Danes also sing the English "Happy Birthday".
Birthday customs
- In Denmark, the red and white flag, the Dannebrog, is a big part of birthdays. Small flags go on the cake and the table, and a flag may fly outside the home.
- In Denmark, children's parties often have a "kagemand" (cake man), a cake shaped like a boy or girl. The birthday child cuts the head off, and everyone cheers.
- In Denmark, families often wake the birthday person with the birthday song, and sometimes gifts and breakfast in bed.
A quick tip
Write "Tillykke" as one word. You may see the older spelling "til lykke", which is still correct, but one word is far more common today. The "ø" in "fødselsdagen" sounds a bit like the "ur" in "fur".
Questions people ask
How do you say happy birthday in Danish to a friend?
Say "Tillykke!" or "Tillykke med dagen!". Both are short, warm and natural with friends.
Is it the same in Norwegian and Swedish?
They are close. Norwegians say "Gratulerer med dagen", and Swedes say "Grattis på födelsedagen". In Danish it is "Tillykke med fødselsdagen".
What do you say back?
Say "Tak!" (TAHK), which means thank you. To be extra warm, say "Tusind tak!" (TOO-sin TAHK), which means a thousand thanks.
Wish someone happy birthday in Danish
Type their name, and we will turn it into a birthday surprise in Danish: a gift box to open, confetti, their name in gold and the birthday song. Then send it by WhatsApp, text or email. It is free.