French words for kids · Shapes, toys & things that go
How to say “happy birthday” in French
Birthdays are a big deal at this age. Singing happy birthday in another language is a sweet surprise for a friend or a grandparent.
Happy birthday in French
joyeux anniversaire !
Sounds like ≈ zhwah-YUH-zah-nee-vehr-SEHR
Good to know: Bon anniversaire ! is just as common. The x of joyeux links to the next word as a z sound.
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our French songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
Joyeux anniversaire !
Happy Birthday!
from Joyeux Anniversaire (Happy Birthday)
The song that teaches it
“Happy birthday” is one of the key words in this song. Every line is shown in French with its English meaning.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1Sing the birthday song to a teddy and blow out pretend candles.
- 2Call a relative on their birthday and say joyeux anniversaire together.
- 3Count candles on a cake in French before blowing them out.
Related French words
“Happy birthday” in other languages
- Spanish:¡feliz cumpleaños!
- German:alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
- Italian:buon compleanno!
- Portuguese:parabéns!
- Dutch:gefeliciteerd!
Sing it in French, free
The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.
About the pronunciation: the “sounds like” spellings are rough English approximations for parents (capital letters show the stressed syllable). Frenchhas sounds English doesn't, so treat them as a starting point and let the songs be the model. Songs are original and produced with AI music tools. Ideas for using French songs with your family.