Is it your birthday soon?
Or maybe you have a friend who is celebrating?
Then it’s time to learn how to say “Happy Birthday” in Egyptian Arabic!
Happy Birthday in Egyptian Arabic: Vocabulary
Happy Birthday. : kol sana w enta tayeb / enty tayeba.
.كل سنة وانت طيب / طيبة
You might also want to check out some Ramadan phrases – this phrase is used everywhere. LINK
Also important to remember: the word tayeb in Egyptian Arabic can have a lot of different meanings.
Happy Birthday. : 3eed melad sa3eed.
.عيد ميلاد سعيد
Happy Birthday. : Sana helwa ya gameel.
.سنة حلوة يا جميل
This literally means: “Great year, beautiful.” This one is only used in actually singing Happy Birthday – which you will see in a bit.
Birthday. : 3eed melad.
.عيد ميلاد
Gift / s. : hedya / hadaya.
.هدية / هدايا
How To Sing Happy Birthday in Egyptian Arabic
Alright – what you have been waiting for this entire time: how to sing Happy Birthday in Egyptian Arabic.
This one is a bit tricky, so be sure to follow carefully.
It’s basically some bits from 3 different songs.
(It goes like this in almost all social classes, for any age, so you can’t go wrong with this sequence)
1. Sing it in English first
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear (name), Happy Birthday to you!
Nothing special here for the first part.
If anything, just make sure to throw in your best Egyptian accent.
2. Sing it in Egyptian Arabic with the same rhythm from the English version
Sana helwa ya gameel, sana helwa ya gameel.
.سنة حلوة يا جميل، سنة حلوة يا جميل
Sana yelwa ya… (name), sana helwa ya gameel!
!سنة حلوة يا ….. سنة حلوة يا جميل
3. Sing a very famous old Egyptian operetta named “Abo El Fasad’s Birthday”
This is a song that was originally made for kids.
The song goes like this:
Yalla 7alan balan balan 7ayo abo elfasad… : Let’s greet and celebrate “abo elfasad” right now…
…يلا حالا بالا بالا حيو أبو الفصاد
Haykon 3eed melado el Leila as3ad ela3yad… : His birthday tonight is going to be the happiest of birthdays…
…هيكون عيد ميلاده الليلة اسعد الأعياد
Fal ya7ya abo elfasad. : Long live Abo elfasad.
.فل يحيى أبو الفصاد
Here’s a video of the song:
You will find this exact sequence at any birthday,
You can’t just skip a part or change the sequence – it’s basically one song.
Happy Birthday in Egyptian Arabic: Example Phrases
Here are a few example phrases when talking about birthdays in Egyptian Arabic.
I love birthdays. : Ba7b a3yad elmelad.
.بحب أعياد الميلاد
I don’t like birthdays. : Ana mesh ba7b a3yad elmelad.
.انا مش بحب أعياد الميلاد
Good time to learn about the word mish.
I like to celebrate with friends on my birthday. : Ba7b a7tafel ma3 sohabi b3eed meladi.
.بحب احتفل مع صحابي بعيد ميلادي
Birthdays are always a good day. : A3yad elmelad dayaman ayam helwa.
.أعياد الميلاد دايما أيام حلوة
I like to do new things on my birthday. : Ba7b a3mel hagat gdeda f 3eed meladi.
.بحب اعمل حاجات جديدة في عيد ميلادي
I don’t have plans. : Ma3ndesh ay khetat.
.معنديش أي خطط
Be sure you learn the difference between the two different kinds of “have.”
This is a very nice gift, thank you. : De hedya helwa awy, shokran.
.دي هدية حلوة قوي..شكرا
Common Questions
Do you have any wishes for your birthday? : 3andak ay omnyat f 3eed meladak?
عندك امنيات في عيد ميلادك؟
Did you get any gifts? : Galak ay hadaya?
جالك أي هدية؟
How did you celebrate? : E7tfalat ezai?
احتفلت ازاي؟
Are you a fan of birthdays or not really? : Bt7b a3yad elmelad wala mesh awy?
بتحب أعياد الميلاد ولا مش قوي؟
What do you normally do on your birthday? : Bt3mel eh f el3adi f 3eed meladak?
بتعمل ايه في العادي في عيد ميلادك؟
How old are you? : 3andak kam sana?
عندك كام سنة؟
This is literally “You have how many years?”
When is your birthday? : 3eed meladak emta?
عيد ميلادك امتى؟
Do you have any plans for your birthday? : Hat3mel eh f 3eed meladak?
هتعمل ايه في عيد ميلادك؟
Example Conversation
Male: Happy Birthday, Heba! Are you excited? : Kol sana w enty tayba ya heba, mot7amesa??
كل سنة وانتي طيبة يا هبة..متحمسة؟
Female: Not at all. I don’t like birthdays. : La2 khales, ana mab7bsh a3yad elmelad.
.لا خالص. انا مبحبش أعياد الميلاد
Male: Why is that? I love my birthday a lot. : Leh keda? Ana ba7b 3eed meladi awy.
.ليه كده؟ انا بحب عيد ميلادي قوي
Female: I just don’t like getting older. : Ana bas mesh ba7b akbar.
.انا بس مش بحب اكبر
Male: Oh ok, well, what are you going to do? : Ah tamam, tayb hat3mli eh?
اه تمام, طيب هتعملي ايه؟
Female: I will meet with my family first and later my friends. : Ha2bel 3elti elawal w ba3den sohaby.
.هقابل عيلتي الأول وبعدين صحابي
Male: Oh great…have fun! : Helw da, etbsti!
!حلو ده…اتبسطي
Female: Thank you very much! : Alf shokr!
!الف شكر
Here are a few more ways to say thank you in Egyptian Arabic.
Cultural Insight
The majority of Egyptians take birthdays lightly and like to celebrate. There will usually be a fun gathering with family and friends as well as a small cake (Egyptians love cakes – sound familiar?).
There is also a small percentage of people in Egypt that finds celebrating birthdays haram (immoral). These people think people should only celebrate religious feasts (like Ramadan or Eid), and that Muslims shouldn’t imitate other cultures.
Again, though, this is a pretty small minority.
…
Happy learning,
Cleo Lingo
