생일 축하해 (Saeng-il chukhae) — Casual for friends and family. Happy birthday in Korean is 생일 축하해요 (saeng-il chukhaehaeyo), which is the standard, polite way to greet someone on their special day.
Formal Happy Birthday Korean Expression: How to Say It Respectfully
축하해요 (chukhaehaeyo) is the conjugated form of 축하하다, where 합니다 (hamnida) becomes 해요 (haeyo) to sound less formal yet still respectful. The word 생일 (saeng-il) is a compound of 생 (saeng), meaning life, and 일 (il), meaning day.
Understanding the Components of the Phrase To truly grasp how to say happy birthday in Korean, it helps to break down the structure. When you say the phrase, it is common to bow slightly while maintaining eye contact to convey sincerity.
Formal Happy Birthday Korean Expression: How to Say It Respectfully
Different Levels of Formality Korean language structure heavily relies on formality, so the phrase changes based on your relationship with the person. The Honorific Version If you are speaking to a grandparent, a teacher, or a boss, the most respectful way to say happy birthday in Korean is 생일 축하드립니다 (saeng-il chukha-deurimnida).
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