👉 See also: Cadeau (gift, present) »
Level A2 (Beginner)
Updated December 14, 2025 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is bon anniversaire, meaning “happy birthday.” In this lesson, you’ll get the exact pronunciation with IPA, recorded at three speeds by Marie, four clear example sentences, plus four other ways to say happy birthday in French.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons
Subscribe to the French Word of the Day
🎂 Bon anniversaire meaning
Bon anniversaire means “happy birthday” in French. Literally, it translates to “good birthday,” but it’s used in exactly the same way as “happy birthday” in English. This is the most common and neutral way to wish someone well on their birthday, and it works in all situations — with friends, family, coworkers, and even in polite or professional contexts.
⚠️ Bon anniversaire vs bonne anniversaire
Bon anniversaire is always masculine. The word anniversaire is masculine in French, so it must be bon, not bonne. This is a common mistake. Some learners think it’s feminine because the final n in bon is pronounced clearly before anniversaire, but this is due to liaison — not gender. Bonne anniversaire is incorrect and should never be written.
🎧 Bon anniversaire pronunciation with IPA
The pronunciation of bon anniversaire is /bɔ.n‿a.ni.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/, with the ‘n’ from bon linking to the first vowel -a in anniversaire, making it sound like “bohn-ah-nee-vehr-sehr.” To help you perfect it, listen to Marie’s recordings at three different speeds:
Bon anniversaire (slow)
Bon anniversaire (medium)
Bon anniversaire (fast)
📝 Bon anniversaire examples & usages
Bon anniversaire, Julie !
Happy birthday, Julie!
Bon anniversaire, mon ami ! Je pense à toi !
Happy birthday, my friend! I’m thinking of you!
Je te souhaite un bon anniversaire ! Amuse-toi bien aujourd’hui !
I wish you a happy birthday! Have a great time today!
Bon anniversaire ! Profite bien de ta journée !
Happy birthday! Enjoy your day
Other ways to say happy birthday in French
Besides bon anniversaire, French speakers use a few other expressions to wish someone a happy birthday, depending on context and region.
- joyeux anniversaire — joyous birthday
- meilleurs vœux — best wishes
- passez une merveilleuse journée — have a wonderful day
- bonne fête — Literally “good holiday” (more common in Canada)
🔗 Related words and expressions
- fêter son anniversaire — to celebrate one’s birthday
- cadeau d’anniversaire — birthday gift
- gâteau d’anniversaire — birthday cake
- bougies d’anniversaire — birthday candles
- faire un vœu — to make a wish
- souffler les bougies — to blow out the candles
- profiter de sa journée — to enjoy one’s day
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner
👉 French numbers 1-100
👉 Mastering dates in French
👉 Months of the year
👉 Saying the year in French
👉 Days of the week
🚀 Continue learning French online on FrenchLearner!
👉 French Word of the Day »
👉 French Vocabulary lists »
👉 French for beginners guide »
👉 French song lyrics hub »
👉 French conjugations hub »
