How to Say Happy Birthday in Greek - Best Wishes, Quotes and Popular Song in Greek Version
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| Say Happy Birthday in Greek - Best Wishes, Quotes and Popular Birthday Song |
Want to know how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Greek? You’re in the right place. It’s always nice to wish someone a happy birthday on their special day but why not do it in a language that means something to them.
Greeks love birthdays and name-days. They often organize small feasts, during which all of their friends are gathered to celebrate. If you have a Greek friend, feel free to wish them a happy birthday in Greek by choosing one of the following Greek congratulations phrases.
How to Say 'Happy Birthday' in Greek
To wish someone a happy birthday in Greek, you can say:
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Happy birthday (lit. many years) | Χρόνια πολλά | Hronia pola |
Χρόνια Πολλά! (pronounced Hronia Polla) literally translates to Many Years and it is again one of those times that Greeks congratulate the birthday boy or girl wishing and hoping for longevity and prosperity.
Alternatively, you can also use some of these phrases:
Να τα εκατοστήσεις!
Na ta ekatostiseis is another very popular wish used to hope once again for longevity! This phrase basically means “I hope you live to be 100 years old” and when living to be 100 started to sound as something easily achieved, people began to use a similar wish Να τα χιλιάσεις (Na ta hiliaseis), “I hope you live to be 1000!”
Ό,τι επιθυμείς!
It could sound like a “lazy” wish since O,ti epithimeis basically means "I wish whatever you wish for". However, it is very commonly used for birthdays and it’s actually a very positive and thoughtful wish since you are in reality saying “I truly wish for all your dreams and desires to come true.”
Other things that Greeks say on birthdays is Να ζήσεις (na ziseis), meaning “to live” or Χαρούμενα Γενέθλια (haroumena genethlia), which literally means Happy Birthday but is not actually that common in modern Greek. However, if you really want to sound like a Greek when you wish somebody a Happy Birthday, the most realistic thing to do would be to combine all the above. Χρόνια Πολλά, “Μαρία” ! Εύχομαι να τα εκατοστήσεις, να τα χιλιάσεις και ό,τι επιθυμείς! Happy Birthday to all the summer babies!
Here is list of some common phrases used by Greek on birthdays:
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Happy birthday | χαρούμενα γενέθλια | Harumena yenethlia |
| May you reach 100 years old | Να τα εκατοστήσεις | Na ta eka-tos-ti-sis |
| May you reach 1000 years old | Να τα χιλιάσεις | Na ta hil-ia-sis |
| I wish for all your dreams to come true | Ό,τι επιθυμείς | Oh ti epith-ee-mis |
| Happy belated birthday | Χρόνια πολλά, έστω και καθυστερημένα | Hronia pola esto ke kathi-ster-ee-mena |
| I wish you many happy years | χρόνια πολλά και ευτυχισμένα | Hronia pola ke efti-his-mena |
To hear the pronunciation of this phrase, check out the video below. Skip to 1:06 for ‘happy birthday’:
VIDEO: How to say 'Happy Birthday' in Greek
Say 'Happy Birthday' in Greek: Best Wishes, Quotes and Messages
Check out here some birthday wishes and quotes in Greek to write the card to your friend in Greece!
| 1. Ζήστε τη ζωή σας με χαμόγελα, όχι με δάκρυα. Νίκησε την ηλικία σου με φίλους και όχι χρόνια. Χαρούμενα γενέθλια! |
(Zíste ti zoí sas me chamógela, óchi me dákrya. Níkise tin ilikía sou me fílous kai óchi chrónia. Charoúmena genéthlia!)
Translation: Live your life with smiles, not tears. Beat your age with friends and not years. Happy birthday!
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| Happy Birthday in Greek |
| 2. Κράτα γερά!!! Η ζωή σας πρόκειται να εκτοξευθεί στη στρατόσφαιρα. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. 2 1 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ!! ΥΣΤΕΡΟΓΡΑΦΟ. μην ξεχνάτε τη ζώνη σας. |
(Kráta gerá!!! I zoí sas prókeitai na ektoxeftheí sti stratósfaira. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. 2 1 CHRONIA POLLA!! YSTEROGRAFO. min xechnáte ti zóni sas.)
Translation: Hold Tight!!! Your life is about to blast into the stratosphere. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. 2 1 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! P.S. don't forget your seatbelt.
| 3. Να μια ευχή για τα γενέθλιά σου. Μακάρι να λάβεις ό,τι ζητήσεις, να βρεις ό,τι ζητήσεις. Χαρούμενα γενέθλια! |
(Na mia efchí gia ta genéthliá sou. Makári na láveis ó,ti zitíseis, na vreis ó,ti zitíseis.)
Translation: Here is a wish for your birthday. May you receive whatever you ask for, may you find whatever you seek. Happy birthday!
| 4. Και μια ακόμη περιπετειώδης χρονιά σας περιμένει, και για να γιορτάσετε τα γενέθλιά σας, σας εύχομαι μια βασιλική μεγαλοπρέπεια και μεγαλοπρέπεια. |
(Kai mia akómi peripeteiódis chroniá sas periménei, kai gia na giortásete ta genéthliá sas, sas éfchomai mia vasilikí megaloprépeia kai megaloprépeia.)
Translation: And yet another adventurous year awaits you, and to celebrate your birthday, I wish you a king's pomp and splendor.
| 5. Είθε όλη η χαρά που έχετε σκορπίσει γύρω σας να επιστρέψει σε εσάς εκατονταπλάσια. Χαρούμενα γενέθλια. |
(Eíthe óli i chará pou échete skorpísei gýro sas na epistrépsei se esás ekatontaplásia. Charoúmena genéthlia.)
Translation: May all the joy you have spread around come back to you a hundredfold. Happy birthday.
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| Happy Birthday in Greek |
| 6. Χρόνια πολλά. Προσεύχομαι όλες οι ευχές σας για τα γενέθλια να πραγματοποιηθούν. |
(Chrónia pollá. Proséfchomai óles oi efchés sas gia ta genéthlia na pragmatopoiithoún.)
Translation: Happy birthday. I pray all your birthday wishes to come true.
| 7. Αυτά τα γενέθλια εύχομαι σε εσάς και την οικογένειά σας αφθονία, ευτυχία και υγεία. Είθε η κυρία τύχη να έρθει ειδικά για το αγόρι/κορίτσι γενεθλίων. |
(Aftá ta genéthlia éfchomai se esás kai tin oikogéneiá sas afthonía, eftychía kai ygeía. Eíthe i kyría týchi na érthei eidiká gia to agóri/korítsi genethlíon.)
Translation: This birthday I wish you and your family abundance, happiness, and health. May lady luck come especially for the birthday boy/girl.
| 8. Είθε να λάβετε τη μεγαλύτερη από τις χαρές και την αιώνια ευδαιμονία. Είστε ένα δώρο στον εαυτό σας και σας αξίζει το καλύτερο από όλα. Χαρούμενα γενέθλια. |
(Eíthe na lávete ti megalýteri apó tis charés kai tin aiónia evdaimonía. Eíste éna dóro ston eaftó sas kai sas axízei to kalýtero apó óla. Charoúmena genéthlia.)
Translation: May you receive the greatest of joys and everlasting bliss. You are a gift yourself, and you deserve the best of everything. Happy birthday.
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| Happy Birthday in Greek |
| 9. Μην μετράτε τα κεριά, αλλά δείτε το φως που δίνουν. Μην μετράς τα χρόνια σου αλλά τη ζωή που ζεις. Χαρούμενα γενέθλια. |
(Min metráte ta keriá, allá deíte to fos pou dínoun. Min metrás ta chrónia sou allá ti zoí pou zeis. Charoúmena genéthlia.)
Translation: Do not count the candles, but see the light they give. Don't count your years but the life you live. Happy Birthday.
| 10. Ξεχάστε το παρελθόν. έχει φύγει. Μην σκέφτεστε το μέλλον. δεν έχει έρθει. Ζήσε όμως το παρόν γιατί είναι δώρο και γι' αυτό λέγεται παρόν. Χαρούμενα γενέθλια. |
(Xecháste to parelthón. échei fýgei. Min skéfteste to méllon. den échei érthei. Zíse ómos to parón giatí eínai dóro kai gi' aftó légetai parón. Charoúmena genéthlia.)
Translation: Forget the past; it is gone. Do not think of the future; it has not come. But live in the present because it's a gift and that's why it's called the present. Happy birthday.
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VIDEO: How to Sing Greek Birthday Song
If you want to go the extra mile for your loved one or friend, try singing the happy birthday song in Greek. Check out the video below to hear the Greek birthday song. I’ve listed the lyrics below so you can sing along.
Name days in GreeceAlthough there is a song for birthdays, it is good to know that in Greece, birthdays are actually celebrated less than name days, except in the case of children in primary school. On name days people gather, invite friends and family, give presents. In addition, they call each other to extend their best wishes …. Due to the fact that many Greeks have the same names such as Giorgos, Konstantinos, Giannis, Dimitris, Maria, Eleni,… many people have their name day on the same day, which almost makes it a ‘national celebration’. So next time you are in Greece and you attend a name day or birthday, you know what to say or sing! When you learn Greek, it is useful to know exactly when and where it is appropriate to wish someone a “happy this” or a “happy that.” In doing so, you will not only get a better feeling for Greek culture, but you will also experience a more authentic way of communicating with Greeks. If you want to learn more specific wishes for Name Days or social celebrations, feel free to download our free eBook Greek Wishes for Social Occasions. |
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