The Basics: How to Say Happy Birthday in Hebrew
The phrase for “Happy Birthday” in Hebrew is:
“יום הולדת שמח”
(Yom Huledet Sameach)
Here’s how it breaks down:
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יום (Yom) – “Day”
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הולדת (Huledet) – “Birth”
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שמח (Sameach) – “Happy”
When put together, it literally means “A happy day of birth.”
Pronunciation Guide
Phonetically, the phrase sounds like: Yohm Hoo-leh-det Sah-may-ahch.
(The “ch” in “Sameach” is pronounced like the soft, throat-clearing sound in German “Bach.”)
Adding a Personal Touch
To make your greeting more personal, you can say “Happy Birthday to you” in Hebrew. This slight variation depends on the person’s gender:
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For a male: יום הולדת שמח לךּ
(Yom Huledet Sameach Lecha) -
For a female: יום הולדת שמח לךְ
(Yom Huledet Sameach Lach)
Pronunciation Guide
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For a male: Yohm Hoo-leh-det Sah-may-ahch Leh-cha.
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For a female: Yohm Hoo-leh-det Sah-may-ahch Lach.