# What do various countries/languages sing at birthdays?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 7, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143 "2007-06-07T16:43:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/21 "2007-06-08T10:33:07Z")

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[QUOTE=Colibri]  
Here in Panama, and elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world, they sing a [translated version](http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumplea%C3%B1os_feliz) of the English “Happy Birthday” song. The melody is exactly the same. At least here in Panama, it’s common to sing one verse each in English and Spanish.  
[/QUOTE]

Which, yes, is the one I was singing. I see _las mañanitas_ already got mentioned but I wasn’t familiar with the one **Sapo** wrote.

There’s another one which I’ve also used on The Dope. This one was written by the Aragón brothers, members of an illustrious line of clowns and circus performers; they had popular TV programs in (IIRC) Cuba, Argentina and Spain and would sing this to the birthday children in the audience:

_Feliz, feliz en tu día,  
amiguito, que Dios te bendiga,  
que reine la paz en tu día  
y que cumplas muchos más._

Merry, let your day be merry,  
little friend, let God bless you,  
let Peace rule your day  
and let you see many returns.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shecky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shecky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shecky)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/22 "2007-06-08T10:38:47Z")

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Obligatory Portuguese:

Parabéns a você, Happy Birthday to you  
Nesta data querida. On the date dear  
Muitas felicidades, Much happiness  
Muitos anos de vida. Many years of life.

There’s a second verse some do:  
Hoje é dia de festa,  
Cantam as nossas almas.  
Para o/a menino/a \_\_\_\_\_,  
Uma salva de palmas.

Then, there’s a little chant afterwards that I can’t figure out the words to.

---

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/23 "2007-06-08T10:44:55Z")

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The baptismal queue? 🙂

\*Estas son las mañanitas  
que cantaba el Rey David  
a las muchachas bonitas  
se las cantamos aquí.

Despierta, mi bien, despierta  
mira que ya amaneció,  
ya los pajarillos cantan  
la luna ya se metió.

Qué linda esta la mañana  
en que vengo a saludarte  
venimos todos con gusto  
y placer a felicitarte.

El dia en que tú naciste  
nacieron todas las flores,  
en la pila del bautismo  
cantaron los ruiseñores.

Ya viene amaneciendo  
ya la luz del dia nos vió  
levántate de mañana  
mira que ya amaneció.\*  
These are the mornings  
which King David sang about,  
to those girls who are pretty  
we sing them hereabouts.

Wake up, my blessing, wake up,  
see how it’s already dawned,  
the birds already sing,  
the moon already set.

How beautiful is the morning  
in which I come to greet you,  
we all come with gusto  
and merriment to congratulate you.

On the day you were born  
were all the flowers created,  
over the baptismal font  
the nightingales sang.

It’s already sun-rising,  
daylight saw us already  
arise for it’s the morning,  
see how it’s already dawned.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/24 "2007-06-08T11:29:37Z")

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In Finnish, the most common song is to the tune of Happy Birthday.

Paljon onnea vaan,  
paljon onnea vaan,  
paljon onnea [nimi],  
paljon onnea vaan.

i.e. Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations [name], congratulations. 🙂

There are other songs that can be used to salute the (birthday) hero, but they’re much less common. One song is “Sä kasvoit neito kaunoinen”, which is sometimes used to serenade women on birthdays or on any other occasion when congratulations are in order (graduation, confirmation, whenever).

Sä kasvoit neito kaunoinen  
isäsi majassa  
;:;kuin kukka kaunis, suloinen  
vihreellä nurmella ;:;

You grew, beautiful maiden,  
in your father’s house  
;:;like a beautiful flower  
on the green grass;:;

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**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/25 "2007-06-08T11:45:48Z")

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\*Celebro tu cumpleaños  
Tan pronto vi asomar el sol  
Y en este día glorioso  
Pido tu dicha al señor  
Porque lo he considerado  
Como el regalo mejor

Toma mi abrazo tu amigo soy  
Y mucha felicidad!  
Toma mi abrazo que yo te doy  
Y mucha felicidad!\*

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/26 "2007-06-08T11:50:03Z")

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I heard “Cumpleaños Feliz” several times while I was in Spain.

In Poland they sing _[Sto Lat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sto_lat)_ :  
The song’s lyrics are:

```
Sto lat, sto lat,
Niech żyje, żyje nam.
Sto lat, sto lat,
Niech żyje, żyje nam,
Jeszcze raz, jeszcze raz, niech żyje, żyje nam,
Niech żyje nam!

```

This translates roughly into English as:

```
A hundred years, a hundred years,
May he (she) live for us.
A hundred years, a hundred years,
May he live for us.
Once again, once again, may he live, live for us,
May he live for us!

```

This song is used at occasions other than birthdays, though: it’s as much an equivalent of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” as of “Happy Birthday”

It would seem a curious sentiment for a child’s birthday, but I don’t know that there’s a different song for them.

I wonder if the use of “a hundred years” in both Sweden and Poland is owing to some common cultural tradition.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/27 "2007-06-08T12:54:49Z")

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[QUOTE=Nava]  
Which, yes, is the one I was singing. I see _las mañanitas_ already got mentioned but I wasn’t familiar with the one **Sapo** wrote.

There’s another one which I’ve also used on The Dope. This one was written by the Aragón brothers, members of an illustrious line of clowns and circus performers; they had popular TV programs in (IIRC) Cuba, Argentina and Spain and would sing this to the birthday children in the audience:

_Feliz, feliz en tu día,  
amiguito, que Dios te bendiga,  
que reine la paz en tu día  
y que cumplas muchos más._

Merry, let your day be merry,  
little friend, let God bless you,  
let Peace rule your day  
and let you see many returns.  
[/QUOTE]

This one you posted here is standard issue in Puerto Rico. At the end of it, they tag:

> [@](#):
>
> te estas poniendo viejo  
> con cara de conejo  
> pareces a mi abuelo  
> y que cumplas muchos mas.

The one I posted I have only heard from Venezuelans. The way it is sung is really long. It is fun to see the faces of non-Venezuelans while we sing the whole thing and they yawn, crawl to a corner and die thinking of how delicious the cake was before it got completely covered in candle wax.

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**Author:** ![Flea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d78d45/32.png) [@Flea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flea)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/28 "2007-06-08T14:46:19Z")

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[QUOTE=Sapo]  
te estas poniendo viejo  
con cara de conejo  
pareces a mi abuelo  
y que cumplas muchos mas.  
[/QUOTE]

You’re getting old  
and rabbit-faced  
you look like my grandfather  
may you have many more [birthdays]

Ha! 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/29 "2007-06-08T14:53:24Z")

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[QUOTE=Sapo]  
The one I posted I have only heard from Venezuelans. The way it is sung is really long. It is fun to see the faces of non-Venezuelans while we sing the whole thing and they yawn, crawl to a corner and die thinking of how delicious the cake was before it got completely covered in candle wax.  
[/QUOTE]

Ah, you guys sing Catalan-style! Once in a store in Barcelona, the owner, who was having a conversation with another customer, started singing an old Carlista hymn. It’s a marching hymn. You know, the kind of song you use to keep in step with the other soldiers?

The Spanish Legion walks at 70 steps per minute instead of the usual 60 because they were created to hunt down my Carlista foreparents around Navarra. If they’d been chasing Catalan Carlistas, about 20spm would have sufficed; I’ve heard funereal marches with a faster tempo. I sing through two stanzas and one chorus in the time he took for a single stanza.

Being with a bunch of Carlistas (mostly Navarrese but not all) giving an improptu concert in Galicia once, several people approached us asking whether we were from Navarra because “you can make any song sound like a battle hymn.” Uuy… :o

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/30 "2007-06-08T14:54:39Z")

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[QUOTE=zagloba]  
I heard “Cumpleaños Feliz” several times while I was in Spain.

In Poland they sing _[Sto Lat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sto_lat)_ :  
The song’s lyrics are:

```
Sto lat, sto lat,
Niech żyje, żyje nam.
Sto lat, sto lat,
Niech żyje, żyje nam,
Jeszcze raz, jeszcze raz, niech żyje, żyje nam,
Niech żyje nam!

```

This translates roughly into English as:

```
A hundred years, a hundred years,
May he (she) live for us.
A hundred years, a hundred years,
May he live for us.
Once again, once again, may he live, live for us,
May he live for us!

```

This song is used at occasions other than birthdays, though: it’s as much an equivalent of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” as of “Happy Birthday”

It would seem a curious sentiment for a child’s birthday, but I don’t know that there’s a different song for them.

I wonder if the use of “a hundred years” in both Sweden and Poland is owing to some common cultural tradition.  
[/QUOTE]

My grandfather just turned 95. We sang this at his birthday (as always). I wonder what we do if he hits 100…

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**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/31 "2007-06-08T14:57:03Z")

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[QUOTE=ArmenE]  
In Russia, there is no such song. I’ve heard the English HB song sung there in some (Russian, not ex-pat) circles, but that’s a recent phenomenon.  
[/QUOTE]

In one of my Russian classes, we were taught a song that supposedly gets some play at Russian birthdays. It was from a children’s show and has an odd translation.

“Crocodile Genya’s Song”  
Let the people run clumsily through the puddles  
And the rain on sidewalk run like a river  
And it’s not clear to passers-by  
on this dreary day  
why I’m so happy

I am playing  
on my harmonica  
in the view  
of passers-by  
Unfortunately,  
Birthdays  
Only come once a year  
Unfortunately,  
Birthdays  
Only come once a year

(I’d type it in Russian, too, but I don’t feel like spending that much time with character map)

It’s all very … Slavic.

“S dnyom rozhdeniya tvoyom” would fit the meter of “Happy Birthday to You” just fine, I think.

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/32 "2007-06-08T15:04:04Z")

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In the Italian film _La Famiglia_, they sang, to the conventional “Happy Birthday” tune:

_Tanti auguri a te,  
Tanti auguri a te,  
Tanti auguri, caro/a (nome),  
Tanti auguri a te_

Which means literally “So many auguries to you” - but in modern Italian they use the word “auguries” to mean not ‘divination by the flight of birds’, but simply ‘best wishes’, ‘congratulations’, etc. My family being American always sang it in English, but cousins in Italy would send us cards wishing “_auguri_” for various occasions.

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**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/33 "2007-06-08T15:11:05Z")

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In Indonesia:

Panjang umurnya  
Panjang umurnya  
Panjang umurnya, serta mulia  
Serta mulia, serta mulia.

Which proves they are related to Vulcans, because it translates more or less as “live long and prosper.” (Or to be properly repetitive, live long, live long, live long, and prosper, prosper, prosper.)

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**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/34 "2007-06-08T15:26:18Z")

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Bah humbug.

Past the age of 40, I just mutter the lines of Alexander Pope:

> [@](#):
>
> Is this a birthday? No alas, 'tis clear,  
> It’s but the funeral of the former year.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/35 "2007-06-08T15:57:43Z")

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Wow, so many people have more interesting and touching songs than we do!

I wonder - are there places where people DON’T sing to the birthday person? When I started to ask the question, I thought to myself, “Why would you assume other countries sing at all? What an arbitrary custom to think is universal!” Yet, it seems fairly prevalent, if not universal.

---

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**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/36 "2007-06-08T16:07:22Z")

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[QUOTE=Nava]  
The Spanish Legion walks at 70 steps per minute instead of the usual 60 because they were created to hunt down my Carlista foreparents around Navarra. If they’d been chasing Catalan Carlistas, about 20spm would have sufficed; I’ve heard funereal marches with a faster tempo. I sing through two stanzas and one chorus in the time he took for a single stanza.  
[/QUOTE]  
At the risk of being pedantic **and** hijacking the thread somewhat, I presume that the lovely **Nava** means two [military] paces to a “step.” The standard military “quick march” is 120 paces per minute, “slow march” is 60, used for funerals.

In a vain attempt to get back to the OP, in Japan they usually just sing “Happy Birzday.”

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**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/37 "2007-06-08T16:12:34Z")

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[QUOTE=Cerowyn]  
In a vain attempt to get back to the OP, in Japan they usually just sing “Happy Birzday.”  
[/QUOTE]

That’s like Christmastime in Thailand, when the locals enjoy belting out renditions of “Jinger Ben,” which is as close to “Jingle Bells” as they can come. 😃

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**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/38 "2007-06-08T17:04:11Z")

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Spanish speakers sing a version called Green Pencil:

_Lapiz verde to you…_

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**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/39 "2007-06-08T18:38:16Z")

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In Norway all to many people sing Happy Birthday, either in English (!! :eek: ) or in the Norwegian version with the line _Gratulerer med dagen_ ([We] congratulate [you] with the day), but the **proper** song is “Hurra for deg” (Hurra for you).

Hurra for deg som fyller ditt år.  
Ja, deg vil vi gratulere.  
Alle i ring omkring deg vi står,  
og se nå vil vi masjere.  
Bukke, nikke, neie, snu oss omkring,  
danse for deg med hopp og sprett og spring,  
ønske deg av hjertet alle gode ting,  
og si meg så hva vil du mere.  
Gratulere.

You can read a translation, and the second verse that no one ever sings (I’d forgotten it existed), [here](http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=happy%20birthday)

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**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-various-countries-languages-sing-at-birthdays/407143/40 "2007-06-08T19:00:21Z")

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[QUOTE=ArmenE]  
In Russia, there is no such song. I’ve heard the English HB song sung there in some (Russian, not ex-pat) circles, but that’s a recent phenomenon.  
[/QUOTE]

In Soviet Russia, Happy Birthday sings you.

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