🎂❓

How to Say ‘When is your birthday?’ in German

Wann hast du Geburtstag?

vahn hahst doo guh-BOORTS-tahk

[vahn hahst doo guh-BOORTS-tahk]

💬 Usage Tip: German says "When do you have birthday?" with haben "to have" and no "your". Likewise Ich habe morgen Geburtstag "It's my birthday tomorrow".

Phrase Breakdown

Wann hast du

vahn hahst doo

When do you have

'Wann' means 'when' and starts the question. The verb 'hast' (have) comes second, then 'du' (you, informal). Say it smoothly as one unit: 'vahn hahst doo'.

Example

Wann hast du Zeit?

When do you have time?

Words in this phrase

Wann

[vahn]

when

Question word asking about time.

Example

Wann hat der Lärm angefangen?

When did the noise start?

hast

[hahst]

have

The verb 'haben' in second person singular form.

Example

Hast du Hunger?

Are you hungry?

[doo]

you (singular/informal)

Used when speaking to one person informally.

Example

Wie fühlst du dich heute Abend?

How do you feel this evening?

Geburtstag?

guh-BOORTS-tahk

birthday?

A compound of 'Geburt' (birth) and 'Tag' (day). Stress the second syllable: ge-BURTS-tahk. The final 'g' sounds like a 'k'. German says 'to have birthday', with no article.

Example

Heute ist mein Geburtstag.

Today is my birthday.

Words in this phrase

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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