How to Say ‘"Mom, happy birthday."’ in Japanese
「お母さん、お誕生日おめでとう」
o kaa san o tanjoubi o medetou
[oh kah-ah sahn oh tan-joh-bee oh meh-deh-toh]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is exactly the kind of short, warm message restaurants often put on a dessert plate for a celebration. Keeping it brief is more natural than writing a long personal note.
Phrase Breakdown
お母さん
o kaa san
mother; mom
Polite/common way to say mother when speaking to or about someone else's mother, or one's own mom affectionately.
お母さんに電話します。
I will call my mom.
Words in this phrase
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix attached to a congratulatory expression.
おめでとうを書いてください。
Please write 'congratulations'.
母
kaa
[kah-ah]
mother
Mother; in a message, it refers to 'Mom'.
母が喜ぶと思います。
I think my mother will be happy.
さん
san
[sahn]
Mr./Ms.; polite suffix
A respectful suffix used with titles like mother.
お母さん、お祝いです。
Mom, it's a celebration.
お誕生日おめでとう
o tanjoubi o medetou
happy birthday
A birthday congratulation phrase.
お誕生日おめでとうございます。
Happy birthday.
Words in this phrase
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix attached to a congratulatory expression.
おめでとうを書いてください。
Please write 'congratulations'.
誕生日
tanjoubi
[tan-joh-bee]
birthday
Birthday, often part of a plate message or greeting.
誕生日のプレートをお願いします。
A birthday plate, please.
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix attached to a congratulatory expression.
おめでとうを書いてください。
Please write 'congratulations'.
めでとう
medetou
[meh-deh-toh]
congratulations
A joyful expression used to congratulate someone.
「お母さん、お誕生日おめでとう」と入れます。
Please put in 'Mom, happy birthday.'
Get the Full Learning Experience
This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.
Pronunciation Feedback
AI-powered speech recognition to perfect your accent
Spaced Repetition
Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice
Immersive Roleplaying
Practice real conversations with AI partners
Custom Scenarios
Request lessons tailored to your specific needs
Get Full LessonWhat Learners Are Saying
“Teaching in Osaka and I wanted to connect with my students beyond the classroom. The everyday conversation scenarios made my Japanese feel natural, not textbook-y.”
Mia S., 25, English Teacher
“Moved to Tokyo and the polite vs. casual speech levels were killing me. This app breaks it all down with real scenarios. My coworkers noticed the difference in weeks.”
Kevin Z., 31, Game Developer
“I tried five different apps before this one. The roleplay conversations are what finally made things click. I actually remember what I learn now.”
Sofia R., 31, Marketing Manager