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How to Say ‘The birthday’ in German

Der Geburtstag

dair guh-BOORTS-tahk

[dair guh-BOORTS-tahk]

🇩🇪 In Germany: Wishing someone a happy birthday before the day is widely considered bad luck in Germany. Wait until the day itself to say Alles Gute zum Geburtstag "Happy birthday".

Phrase Breakdown

Der

[dair]

the

Feminine article in the dative case, used after 'in' for location.

Example

Das steht in der Zeitung.

That's in the newspaper.

Geburtstag

[guh-BOORTS-tahk]

birthday

The day and month you were born; often used for identification at a doctor’s office.

Example

Mit „Mein Geburtstag ist“ nennt man den „Geburtstag“ zur Identifikation.

With “My birthday is,” one gives the “birthday” for identification.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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