If you look up how to say “happy birthday” in Italian, buon compleanno is the first thing you’ll find. But show up to a birthday party in Italy, and you’ll quickly notice that people have different ways to say it. That’s one of the characteristics of the Italian language: It always gives you different options to express exactly what you mean. Birthday wishes are no exception.
Learning how to say “happy birthday” in Italian starts with two expressions: Buon compleanno and auguri. Both greetings are neutral and work perfectly in formal and informal contexts. However, they aren’t exactly the same.
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Auguri is the birthday wish Italians use most
While buon compleanno is used only for birthdays, auguri (au-GOO-ree) means “wishes” and is much more versatile, also working for holidays like Christmas and New Year’s, anniversaries, and many other occasions when you want to celebrate or wish someone well. So, it’s how you’d most likely say “Happy birthday” in Italy.
On birthdays, Italians often make auguri more enthusiastic by adding tanti (many/a lot of), augmentatives, superlatives, or other expressions. Tanti auguri is so widespread across Italy that the song Happy Birthday to You is called Tanti auguri a te (“many wishes to you”).
| Italian | English | Use |
| Tanti auguri! | Many wishes! | all-purpose (the most common expression) |
| Tantissimi auguri! | Lots of best wishes! | very common in informal and semi-formal situations (in Italian, -issimi is the suffix for superlatives) |
| Auguroni! | Warm birthday wishes! (literally “Big wishes!”) | informal and playful (-oni is the suffix for augmentatives in Italian) |
| Augurissimi di buon compleanno! | Very best birthday wishes! | very informal (superlative) |
| Un mondo di auguri! | A world of wishes! | informal |
| Auguri di cuore. | Heartfelt wishes. (literally “wishes from the heart”) | all-purpose |
| Auguri a entrambi/entrambe. | Happy birthday to both of you. | two people’s birthdays (m/f) |
| Ancora auguri. | Happy birthday again. | neutral, to use before leaving |
Buon compleanno is how you’re taught to say ‘happy birthday’ in Italian
Pronounced boo-on com-pleh-ANN-noh, buon compleanno literally translates to “good birthday” but means “happy birthday,” and it’s the standard expression used on birthdays in Italy. Like its English counterpart, you can use it in almost any situation, from a friend’s birthday dinner to a workplace celebration, and personalize it with affectionate terms or formal language.
Interestingly, buon compleanno celebrates completing another year of life, rather than the day of birth itself, as English does.
- Buon (good) here means “happy,” as in other common Italian phrases, such as buon viaggio (happy travels) or buon anno (happy New Year).
- Compleanno combines compiere (to complete) with anno (year).
You can combine buon compleanno with other words and phrases for a more personal wish:
| Italian | English | Use |
| Buon compleanno, amico/amica! | Happy birthday, my friend! | informal (m/f) |
| Buon compleanno, amore mio! | Happy birthday, my love. | informal |
| Buon compleanno, mamma/papà! | Happy birthday, Mom/Dad! | informal |
| Buon compleanno, tesoro! | Happy birthday, darling! | informal |
| Ti/Le auguro un buon compleanno. | I wish you a happy birthday. | informal/formal |
Buon + age is a common greeting for milestone birthdays
When it comes to milestone birthdays, you can use a special expression built with buon (happy) followed by the Italian ordinal number matching the person’s age. For example:
- Buon diciottesimo! = Happy 18th!
- Buon diciottesimo compleanno! = Happy 18th birthday!
You’ll hear it most often for 18th birthdays, since turning 18 marks the transition into adulthood in Italy, when people gain the right to vote and drive. However, it’s also common for other milestone birthdays, especially those ending in zero:
- Buon cinquantesimo! = Happy 50th birthday!
- Buon settantesimo! = Happy 70th birthday!
Cento di questi giorni is an idiom used as a birthday wish
Italians use lots of modi di dire (idioms) when they speak, and cento di questi giorni is one that has become a traditional birthday wish. It translates as “a hundred more of these days,” or “may you have a hundred more days like this one,” and is often paired with other birthday wishes in birthday cards and toasts. For English speakers, the closest equivalent would be something like “many happy returns.”
- Buon compleanno, ti auguro cento di questi giorni. = Happy birthday, I hope you have many more (happy) days like this one.
- Auguri! Cento di questi giorni! = Best wishes! May you have hundreds more of these days. (also used for weddings, anniversaries, and more celebrations)
How to write birthday wishes in Italian
If you have Italian native speakers in your workplace and circle of friends, or a language partner you’re practicing Italian conversation with, writing a few lines in Italian to wish them “happy birthday” is always a thoughtful gesture.
Because written messages need to convey the warmth and tone that would normally come through in person, Italian birthday wishes tend to be more expressive in writing.
Try these written messages for birthday cards, text messages, or social media posts:
| Italian | English | Use |
| Buon compleanno! | Happy birthday! | informal |
| Ti le auguro una giornata speciale. | Wishing you a special day. | formal |
| Cento di questi splendidi giorni. | Wishing you many more wonderful days like this one./ | informal |
| Cento di questi giorni felici. | Wishing you many more happy days like this one. | formal |
| Nel tuo/suo giorno speciale, ti/le auguro un felice compleanno e tutto il bene del mondo. | On your special day, I wish you a happy birthday and all the best in the world. | informal and formal |
| Tanti auguri! Che tutti i tuoi/suoi desideri si avverino. | Happy birthday! May all your wishes come true. | informal and formal |
| Ti/Le auguro una vita piena di gioie e soddisfazioni. Buon compleanno! | Wishing you a life full of joy and success. | informal and formal |
| Ti/Le auguro un compleanno pieno di felicità. | Wishing you a birthday full of happiness. | informal and formal |
| Un mondo di auguri per un compleanno indimenticabile. | Tons of birthday wishes for an unforgettable birthday. | informal and formal |
How to respond in Italian to ‘Happy birthday’
In most cases, a simple but emphatic grazie (thank you) is all you need to say in response to birthday wishes. However, if you want to sound like a native Italian, try practicing these more common expressions.
| Italian | English | Use |
| Grazie mille. | Thanks a lot. | all-purpose; the most common reply |
| Grazie davvero. | Thank you, really. | all-purpose; heartfelt |
| Grazie di cuore. | Thank you from the bottom of my heart. | all-purpose; warm |
| Grazie a tutti per gli auguri. | Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes | social media and group messages |
| Grazie per aver pensato a me. | Thanks for thinking of me. | text replies |
| Grazie, gentilissimo/a. | Thanks, that’s very kind of you. | formal and semi-formal |
| È molto gentile, grazie. | You’re very kind, thank you. | formal |
| Ti/La ringrazio per gli auguri. | Thank you for your birthday wishes. | emails and text messages |
| Le sono (molto) grato/a per gli auguri. | I’m very grateful for your birthday wishes. | formal emails and text messages (m/f) |
Birthday traditions in Italy
Besides learning proper expressions, understanding traditions and customs is also key to going beyond textbooks and learning how to speak Italian in real life.
It’s bad luck to wish someone a happy birthday before their official birthday
When it comes to birthdays, superstition plays a big role in Italy. According to a popular belief, you should never wish someone a happy birthday before their actual birthday, not even a few minutes before midnight. Doing so is considered bad luck, and it’s better to wish a happy birthday late than early. If that happens, you can say: Tanti auguri in ritardo. (Happy belated birthday).
Italians usually plan their own birthday parties
Another custom that may surprise you is that Italians usually organize their own birthday party and often cover some or all of the costs. So, if someone invites you, you would usually just need to buy a gift. However, if it’s a house party, it’s usual to bring a bottle of wine or flowers.
People pull each other’s ears
There’s a fun tradition you may have heard of called tirare le orecchie (literally “pulling the ears”), in which friends and family members pull the birthday person’s ears once for each y
ear of age, while counting out loud. It’s more common with kids, but it can also happen among adults as a playful way to celebrate.Don’t stop at ‘Happy birthday’ in Italian
Learning everyday expressions is a great way to approach a new language, so why stop there? Explore how to say “happy birthday” in different languages, so you can send wishes to everyone you know!
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