Happy Birthday in Portuguese
Part of: Happy Birthday in Every Language
Happy birthday in Portuguese is "feliz aniversário", pronounced feh-LEEZ ah-nee-ver-SAH-ryo. In Brazil people also say "parabéns", which literally means congratulations and is what the room shouts at the cake. Portugal uses "feliz aniversário" more consistently, so if in doubt use that one.
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The phrase you need
| Portuguese | Pronounced | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Feliz aniversário | feh-LEEZ ah-nee-ver-SAH-ryo | Brazil and Portugal, always correct |
| Parabéns | pah-rah-BENGS | Brazil especially — what people shout |
| Muitas felicidades | MOO-ee-tas feh-lee-see-DAH-des | Warmer, both countries |
| Feliz niver | feh-LEEZ NEE-ver | Brazilian slang, texts between friends |
"Parabéns" is the one that surprises learners. It means congratulations, and Brazilians use it as the main birthday greeting — the birthday song itself is called "Parabéns pra você".
Copy these
Feliz aniversário!
Parabéns!
Parabéns pelo seu aniversário!
Muitas felicidades!
Feliz aniversário! Que você tenha um dia maravilhoso.
Parabéns! Desejo tudo de bom para você.
Feliz aniversário! Que este novo ano seja incrível.
Que todos os seus desejos se realizem.
Feliz aniversário! Aproveite muito o seu dia.
Muitos anos de vida!
For someone you love
Feliz aniversário, meu amor.
Parabéns para a pessoa mais importante da minha vida.
Cada ano com você e melhor que o anterior. Feliz aniversário.
Feliz aniversário, meu bem. Eu te amo.
Obrigado por existir. Parabéns!
For family
Feliz aniversário, mãe. Te amo muito.
Parabéns, pai. Obrigado por tudo.
Feliz aniversário, irmã. Você e a melhor.
Parabéns, vovó. Que Deus te abençoe.
Feliz aniversário, filho. Tenho muito orgulho de você.
For work
Feliz aniversário! Tenha um ótimo dia.
Parabéns e muito sucesso neste novo ano.
Desejo tudo de bom no seu aniversário.
Feliz aniversário da parte de toda a equipe.
The birthday song in Portuguese
Brazil sings the tune with these words, and everyone knows them:
Parabéns pra você, nesta data querida, muitas felicidades, muitos anos de vida.
In Brazil it is almost always followed by a chanted second verse and a lot of clapping. Portugal sings a similar version with small wording differences.
What is different about a Brazilian birthday
The brigadeiro — a small chocolate truffle — is expected at any Brazilian birthday, often more than the cake itself.
There is also a strong custom of the birthday person hosting and feeding everyone, rather than being taken out. Turning up empty-handed as a guest is fine; the host provides.
Party words worth knowing
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| a festa | the party |
| o bolo | the cake |
| as velas | the candles |
| o presente | the gift |
| faça um pedido | make a wish |
| assoprar as velas | blow out the candles |
Send a card that says it in Portuguese
Portuguese uses accents that get dropped when people type from memory — aniversário, parabéns, você all carry them. Copying the phrases above keeps them correct.
To send something they can watch, type the greeting into the free fireworks card maker. It renders Portuguese accents correctly and each letter explodes into light with real firework sound. Send it as a link that plays instantly.
Mistakes people make in Portuguese
- Mixing up Brazilian and European Portuguese. Parabéns works everywhere, but the pronoun and verb forms around it differ between the two.
- Using tu forms in Brazil. Brazilian Portuguese generally uses você where European Portuguese uses tu, and the verb endings change with it.
- Assuming Spanish will do. The languages are related but distinct, and using Spanish with a Portuguese speaker is noticed immediately.
- Forgetting Parabéns pra você, the Brazilian birthday song, which has its own melody and a clapping section that follows it.
What to write in a Portuguese birthday card
- Parabéns! — congratulations, the most common single word used for birthdays.
- Muitas felicidades — many happinesses. Standard and warm.
- Que este ano seja repleto de alegrias — may this year be full of joy.
- Saúde, paz e muito amor — health, peace and much love. Extremely common in Brazil.
- Um forte abraço — a strong hug. The normal warm sign-off between friends and family.
Common questions
How do you say happy birthday in Portuguese? "Feliz aniversário", pronounced feh-LEEZ ah-nee-ver-SAH-ryo. In Brazil "parabéns" is used just as much.
What does parabéns mean? Congratulations. Brazilians use it as the standard birthday greeting, and the birthday song is named after it.
Is Brazilian Portuguese different from Portugal Portuguese here? Slightly. Both use "feliz aniversário". Brazil leans on "parabéns" and the slang "feliz niver"; Portugal uses those less.
How do you say happy belated birthday in Portuguese? "Feliz aniversário atrasado", or "desculpe o atraso, parabéns" to apologise first.
What is a brigadeiro? A small chocolate truffle made from condensed milk and cocoa. It is the expected sweet at Brazilian birthdays.