Do you want to wish your friend a Happy Birthday in Italian? Will an Italian relative be having a birthday soon? Will you be in Italy on your birthday? You’ll need to know that Buon Compleanno means Happy Birthday.
Read on to find out about Buon Compleanno and learn other ways to say Happy Birthday in Italian. You’ll discover how to pronounce Buon Compleanno and other common birthday phrases, like tanti auguri, and auguroni.
You’ll also learn how to sing the Happy Birthday song in Italian, and about saying Happy Birthday in Italian to people in your family.
If someone wishes you a Buon Compleanno, you’ll know how to respond, and you’ll find out about birthday customs in Italy!
Table of Contents
BUON COMPLEANNO PRONUNCIATION
The pronunciation of Buon Compleanno is: boo-OHN cohm-plee-AH-noh
Listen to how to pronounce Buon Compleanno here:
BUON COMPLEANNO MEANING
Buon means good in Italian, but in this case it means happy. Compleanno means birthday.
Know that: Even though felice means happy in Italian, felice compleanno is not commonly used.
OTHER WAYS TO SAY BUON COMPLEANNO (HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ITALIAN)
While buon compleanno means happy birthday, in Italy there are other ways to greet someone on their special day that are important to know:
HOW TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ITALIAN: TANTI AUGURI
Perhaps the most common alternative to Buon Compleanno is Tanti auguri! It means many wishes, but it’s like saying best wishes in English. While buon compleanno is specifically for birthdays, tanti auguri is a general greeting.
Tanti auguri can be used for many other special occasions and holidays, like weddings, anniversaries, and even Christmas. If you’d like to congratulate someone, or wish them a happy holiday, saying tanti auguri is a good greeting.
The pronunciation of tanti auguri is: TAHN-tee ow-GOO-ree
Listen to how to pronounce tanti auguri here:
You can combine the two greetings to say: Tanti auguri di buon compleanno!
Listen to how to pronounce tanti auguri di buon compleanno here:
HOW TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ITALIAN: AUGURI
Another common alternative to Buon Compleanno is simply: Auguri! It means wishes, and it’s a good word to know because it’s very versatile.
It can be used in the same situations as tanti auguri, and it’s an easy and direct way to greet someone on a happy occasion.
The pronunciation of auguri is: ow-GOO-ree
Listen to how to pronounce auguri here:
HOW TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ITALIAN: AUGURONI
Auguroni means big wishes. It’s based on the word auguri, but the -one suffix augments the meaning. It can be used in place of buon compleanno just like tanti auguri, or to wish someone extra big congratulations for any special occasion or event.
The pronunciation of auguroni is: ow-goo-ROH-nee
Listen to how to pronounce auguroni here:
HOW TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ITALIAN: TI AUGURO UN BUON COMPLEANNO
This phrase is a bit longer than the other greetings. It means I wish you a happy birthday. It is the informal version, because ti is the informal form of you. If you need to be formal, say Le auguro un buon compleanno instead. This phrase can come in handy if you’re be writing a birthday card!
The pronunciation of Ti auguro un buon compleanno is: tee OW-goo-roh oon boo-OHN cohm-plee-AH-noh
Listen to how to pronounce Ti auguro un buon compleanno here:
TANTI AUGURI A TE: THE ITALIAN HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG
The Italian version of the Happy Birthday song uses the phrase tanti auguri, instead of buon compleanno. The tune is the same as the Happy Birthday song in English. Here are the lyrics in Italian:
Tanti auguri a te
Tanti auguri a te
Tanti auguri a (insert name) OR tanti auguri felici OR tanti giorni felici
Tanti auguri a te
Just like in English-speaking countries, the birthday boy/girl blows out the candles on the cake at the end of the song.
Listen and watch here:
BUON COMPLEANNO FOR SPECIFIC BIRTHDAYS
If you’d like to wish someone a happy birthday and include how old they are, here are some examples for milestone birthdays:
| Buon primo compleanno! | Happy 1st birthday! |
| Buon diciottesimo compleanno! | Happy 18th birthday! |
| Buon trentesimo compleanno! | Happy 30th birthday! |
| Buon quarantesimo compleanno! | Happy 40th birthday! |
| Buon cinquantesimo compleanno! | Happy 50th birthday! |
| Buon sessantesimo compleanno! | Happy 60th birthday! |
| Buon settantesimo compleanno! | Happy 70th birthday! |
| Buon ottantesimo compleanno! | Happy 80th birthday! |
| Buon novantesimo compleanno! | Happy 90th birthday! |
| Buon centesimo compleanno! | Happy 100th birthday! |
HOW TO SAY BUON COMPLEANNO TO THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE
If you’d like to give a loved one a personal birthday greeting, whether in person or on a birthday card, you can add more specific words. For example:
Tanti auguri…….
Buon compleanno…….
Tanti auguri di buon compleanno….
Auguri….
Auguroni….
| amore mio | my love |
| tesoro mio | my treasure |
| mamma | mom |
| papà | dad |
| babbo | dad (in Tuscany) |
| amico/a | friend |
| nonno | grandpa |
| nonna | grandma |
| sorella | sister |
| fratello | brother |
| cugino/a | cousin |
| zio | uncle |
| zia | aunt |
| figlio | son |
| figlia | daughter |
BUON COMPLEANNO: HOW TO RESPOND
What if it’s your birthday and someone wishes you buon compleanno, or tanti auguri? To thank them, you can say:
grazie!
grazie mille!
ti/la/vi ringrazio!
BIRTHDAY (COMPLEANNO) CUSTOMS IN ITALY
Here are a few details about birthday customs in Italy to keep in mind:
DON’T WISH BUON COMPLEANNO IN ADVANCE
Sorry, earlybirds – It’s considered bad luck to send birthday wishes or wish someone a happy birthday before their actual birthday, even the day before. For the same reason, it’s unusual for Italians to have a birthday party or to celebrate their birthday before the date itself.
18 IS A BIG BIRTHDAY
In Italy, the 18th birthday, or diciottesimo is a major milestone and warrants a big celebration! 18 is when you legally become of age, when you can get a license to drive a car, and it is also the legal drinking age. Like the 15th birthday in Latin American cultures, or 21st birthday in the US, the diciottesimo is often celebrated with an extravagant party.
BIRTHDAYS IN ITALY: WHO’S TREATING?
In Italy, usually if the birthday girl or boy invites friends out for dinner or drinks to celebrate their birthday, they will treat everyone. At school or work, instead of expecting their colleagues to plan something for them, the birthday girl or boy will be the person to bring in pastries or a treat in order to celebrate.
GIFTS FOR BIRTHDAYS IN ITALY
If you’re invited to a birthday party, you should bring a gift. It is important for the present to be wrapped, and wrapped nicely. When choosing a gift, keep in mind that usually the birthday boy or girl opens the presents in front of all the guests.
Heading to a birthday party? Check out our articles How to Say HELLO in Italian, SALVE – Italian’s Superhero Greeting, and How to Say GOODBYE in Italian for ways to greet the other guests!
WHERE DOES THE WORD COMPLEANNO COME FROM?
Compleanno contains two words. Compiere means to fulfill, accomplish, or carry out. Anno means year.
When talking about birthdays, the verb compiere is used to mean turn (a certain age). For example, Italians say oggi compio gli anni, which means today is my birthday. And Oggi compio 30 anni means Today I turn 30.
BUON COMPLEANNO: RELATED PHRASES AND WORDS
| festeggiato/a | birthday boy/birthday girl/guest of honor |
| torta | cake |
| regalo | gift |
| festa | party |
| festa di compleanno | birthday party |
| Buona festa! | Have a good party! |
| candela | candle |
| invito | invitation |
| Quando e’ il tuo compleanno? | When is your birthday? (informal) |
| Quando e’ il suo compleanno? | When is your birthday? (formal) |
| Quanti anni hai/ha? | How old are you? (informal/formal) |
| Ho ___ anni. | I am ___ years old. |
| Oggi e’ il mio compleanno. | Today is my birthday. |
Know that: In Italian, to ask someone how old they are, you ask how many years they have!
Directly translated, Quanti anni hai? means How many years do you have?
The answer, Ho 21 anni, means I have 21 years.
FAQ
How do Italian kids celebrate their compleanno (birthday)?
It is common for Italian children to celebrate their compleanno with a big family meal. It can be with close family, or with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives.
Italian school children often will have a party with their friends as well. It’s not uncommon to invite the entire school class, and hold the party at home (space permitting) or a rented space at a local church, community center, or entertainment center like a bowling alley or movie theater.
While activities and level of extravagance vary, there are a few essentials: plenty of food and drink, singing Tanti auguri and blowing out the candles, eating the birthday cake, and opening presents. Thoughtful hosts will also provide prosecco for a toast, or brindisi, among the parents.
How do you spell “Happy Birthday” in Italian?
Happy Birthday in Italian is spelled B-U-O-N C-O-M-P-L-E-A-N-N-O.
How do you say “Happy Birthday beautiful!” in Italian?
Buon compleanno, bella!
How do you say “Happy Birthday handsome!” in Italian?
Buon compleanno, bello!
How do you say “Buon Compleanno” in other languages?
| Language | Translation |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Feliz Cumpleaños |
| German | Herzlichen Glückwunch zum Geburtstag |
| Portuguese | Feliz Aniversário |
| French | Joyeux Anniversaire |
| Russian | С днем рождения |
| Mandarin | 生日快乐 |
| Arabic | عيد ميلاد سعيد |
| Indonesian | Selamat ulang tahun |
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