How to say happy birthday in Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Rojbûna te pîroz be
Say it like this: roj-BOO-nah teh pee-ROZ beh
To say happy birthday in Kurdish, you say "Rojbûna te pîroz be". This is Kurmanji, the Kurdish spoken by most Kurds, mainly in Turkey and Syria and parts of Iraq and Iran. Here is how to say it, plus other warm ways to share your wishes.
"Rojbûn" means birthday (from "roj", day). "Te" means your, "pîroz" means blessed, and "be" means may it be. So it means "may your birthday be blessed".
Other ways to say happy birthday in Kurdish (Kurmanji)
- Rojbûna we pîroz beSay it like this: roj-BOO-nah weh pee-ROZ behThe polite form, using "we" instead of "te". Use it for elders, or for more than one person.
- Ez rojbûna te pîroz dikimSay it like this: ez roj-BOO-nah teh pee-ROZ dee-KIMMeans "I congratulate you on your birthday". A little fuller and more personal.
- Pîroz be!Say it like this: pee-ROZ behMeans "congratulations" or "may it be blessed". People say it for all kinds of happy news.
- Rojbûna te pîroz be, hevala delalSay it like this: roj-BOO-nah teh pee-ROZ beh, heh-VAH-lah deh-LAHLMeans "happy birthday, dear friend" to a woman. To a man, say "hevalê delal".
The Happy Birthday song in Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Rojbûna te pîroz be,
rojbûna te pîroz be,
rojbûna te pîroz be [name],
rojbûna te pîroz be.
Kurdish speakers often sing the greeting to the usual Happy Birthday tune, like this. Many families also sing in Turkish, Arabic, Persian or English, depending on where they live.
Birthday customs
- The words "pîroz be" are used for many celebrations, not just birthdays. At Newroz, the Kurdish New Year on 21 March, people say "Newroz pîroz be".
- Kurmanji is written in the Latin alphabet in Turkey and Syria. In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Sorani Kurdish is more common and uses a script based on Arabic.
- As in much of the world, a birthday cake with candles is now a normal part of birthday parties in Kurdish families.
A quick tip
The letter "û" sounds like the "oo" in "moon", "î" sounds like "ee" in "see", and "ş" sounds like "sh". If you cannot type them, the plain letters are still understood.
Questions people ask
How do you say happy birthday in Kurdish to a friend?
Say "Rojbûna te pîroz be". To make it warmer, add "hevala delal" (dear friend) for a woman or "hevalê delal" for a man.
Is it the same in Sorani Kurdish?
Not quite. Sorani is written in a script based on Arabic, and its grammar differs, so the greeting looks different. This page covers Kurmanji, the most widely spoken form of Kurdish.
What do you say back?
Say "Spas" (SPAHS), which means thank you. You can also say "Gelek spas", which means thank you very much.
Wish someone happy birthday in Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Type their name, and we will turn it into a birthday surprise in Kurdish (Kurmanji): 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.