Italian › Phrases › Happy birthday
The quick answer: happy birthday in Italian is buon compleanno (bwohn kohm-pleh-AHN-noh). The song and the shout are both tanti auguri — “many wishes!” Hear them all below. 👇
Buon compleanno!
bwohn kohm-pleh-AHN-noh · happy birthday
🐌 Play slow version
Every birthday wish you’ll need
| Italian | Say it like | Use it when… | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buon compleanno! | bwohn kohm-pleh-AHN-noh | the classic happy birthday | |
| Tanti auguri! | TAHN-tee ow-GOO-ree | “many wishes!” — say it or sing it | |
| Auguri! | ow-GOO-ree | the quick version — works for any celebration | |
| Cento di questi giorni! | CHEN-toh dee KWES-tee JOR-nee | “a hundred of these days!” — the toast | |
| Tanti auguri a te 🎵 | TAHN-tee ow-GOO-ree ah teh | the song line — Happy Birthday melody |
💡 Pronunciation tip: auguri is ow-GOO-ree — the “au” like “ow!” and a rolled r if you have one (a soft r is fine). It’s the single most useful celebration word in Italy — one word, every occasion.
Birthdays, Italian style
In Italy, the birthday person often treats THE OTHERS — paying for coffee, aperitivo or dinner. Friends bring the gifts; the festeggiato brings the generosity. And expect the tanti auguri chorus at least twice: once with the cake, once whenever a latecomer arrives.
🇮🇹 Bonus tradition: in some parts of Italy, birthday ears get a gentle tug — one per year of age. Survive the song, survive the tugging, eat the cake. Pair the toast with the classics from our Cheers in Italian lesson.
📬 Take this lesson with you
A tiny Italian lesson in your inbox every few days — words, audio, and a small story from everyday life. Free forever.
Join 1,700+ learners · unsubscribe anytime
Practice: quick check
1. Your Italian friend turns 30…
Buon compleanno! Tanti auguri! — the double greeting is completely normal. Enthusiasm is the point.
2. The cake arrives, candles lit…
Tanti auguri a te… 🎵 — same melody you know, Italian words, twice the volume.
3. Glasses raised for the toast…
Cento di questi giorni! — “a hundred of these days!” — the wish that outwishes them all.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say happy birthday in Italian?
Buon compleanno (bwohn kohm-pleh-AHN-noh) — “good birthday”. Just as common is Tanti auguri! — “many wishes!” — which is also what Italians sing.
What does tanti auguri mean?
“Many wishes!” It’s the all-purpose Italian congratulation — birthdays, name days, weddings, good news. The birthday song is literally “Tanti auguri a te” to the Happy Birthday melody.
What is cento di questi giorni?
“A hundred of these days!” — the classic toast wishing a hundred more birthdays. Italians answer with a smile, sometimes with “con te!” — “with you!”