How to Say Happy Birthday in Korean, From 생일 축하해 to 생신

"Happy birthday" in Korean is built from two words, 생일 (birthday) and 축하 (congratulations), plus an ending that sets the politeness. The tricky part is that Korean also has a separate, honorific word for birthday, and a separate humble verb for congratulating. Here is how the pieces fit, using the Standard Korean Dictionary and answers from the National Institute of Korean Language (NIKL).

1. The building blocks

The Standard Korean Dictionary defines 축하 as greeting someone to show that you are glad and happy about their good news. A birthday wish is literally "(I) congratulate (your) birthday."

2. Four levels of happy birthday

From most casual to most respectful:

The ending works the same way as in any Korean sentence: no ending for close friends, -요 for everyday politeness, -ㅂ니다 for formal speech.

3. 생일 or 생신?

The Standard Korean Dictionary defines 생신 simply as the honorific way of saying 생일. You use it when the birthday belongs to someone you want to honor.

Who counts? A learner asked NIKL whether 생신 is only for much older people or people of much higher status. NIKL's answer: language etiquette like this is not fixed by the dictionary or the spelling rules, and depends on the relationship between speaker and listener. But if you intend to show respect, using 생신 is not a problem, even with someone of a similar age or rank to whom you speak politely.

A practical guide:

• Your grandparents, parents, a teacher, a senior manager: 생신.
• A friend, a younger sibling, a classmate: 생일.
• A polite coworker of similar age: either works; 생신 adds extra respect.

Remember that you never use 생신 for your own birthday. Honorific words point upward to someone else: 제 생일이에요, "It's my birthday."

4. Is 축하드립니다 correct?

Some people argue that 축하드립니다 is wrong, reasoning that 드리다 is the honorific of 주다 (to give), not of 하다 (to do). NIKL addressed this directly. Its answer: both 축하합니다 and 축하드립니다 are correct. The Standard Korean Dictionary lists -드리다 as a suffix that adds the meaning of a respectful act and makes a verb, so attaching it to 축하 to form 축하드리다 is fine.

That gives you two equally correct formal options:

• 생신 축하합니다.
• 생신 축하드립니다.

The second sounds a little more deferential because of -드리다.

5. Longer wishes for a card

Birthday cards often add a wish after the greeting. Some combinations built from the forms above:

• 생일 축하해! 행복한 하루 보내. "Happy birthday! Have a happy day." (to a friend)
• 생일 축하해요. 좋은 하루 보내세요. "Happy birthday. Have a good day." (polite)
• 할머니, 생신 축하드립니다. 늘 건강하세요. "Grandma, happy birthday. Please always stay healthy." (to a grandparent)

Notice how the ending of the second sentence matches the level of the first: casual with casual, polite with polite. Mixing a formal greeting with a casual wish sounds odd.

6. Common mistakes

1. Using 생신 for a close friend. NIKL treats it as a matter of respect, so it is not wrong, but with a friend you speak to casually it clashes with the rest of your speech.
2. Mixing levels. 생신 축하해 pairs an honorific noun with a casual ending, which clashes. Use 생신 with -합니다 or -드립니다.
3. Using 생신 for yourself. Honorifics never apply to your own birthday.

7. Key takeaways

• 생일 축하해 (casual), 축하해요 (polite), and 축하합니다 (formal) cover most situations.
• The dictionary defines 생신 as the honorific form of 생일; NIKL says using it to show respect is not a problem.
• NIKL confirms both 축하합니다 and 축하드립니다 are correct; -드리다 adds a respectful act.
• 생신 축하드립니다 is the most respectful option for grandparents, parents, and seniors.
• Never use 생신 for your own birthday, and keep the ending level consistent.