Knowing how to say “happy birthday” is only the start. This page gives you the questions and answers you need to talk about birthdays in Italian: when it is, how old someone is turning, and how to invite people and thank them. If you are looking for the greetings themselves, see how to say happy birthday in Italian.
Asking when someone’s birthday is
| English | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| When is your birthday? | Quand’è il tuo compleanno? | KWAN-deh eel TOO-oh kom-pleh-AHN-noh |
| When is your birthday? (formal) | Quand’è il Suo compleanno? | KWAN-deh eel SOO-oh kom-pleh-AHN-noh |
| My birthday is on 24 June. | Il mio compleanno è il 24 giugno. | eel MEE-oh kom-pleh-AHN-noh eh eel vehn-tee-KWAHT-troh JOO-nyoh |
| My birthday is in May. | Il mio compleanno è a maggio. | eel MEE-oh kom-pleh-AHN-noh eh ah MAHD-joh |
Dates are written day first, with il before the number: il 24 giugno. For the first of the month Italian uses il primo: il primo maggio. Months are written with a small letter: gennaio, febbraio, marzo, aprile, maggio, giugno, luglio, agosto, settembre, ottobre, novembre, dicembre.
Asking and saying age
| English | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How old are you? | Quanti anni hai? | KWAN-tee AHN-nee AH-ee |
| I am thirty. | Ho trent’anni. | oh tren-TAHN-nee |
| How old are you turning? | Quanti anni compi? | KWAN-tee AHN-nee KOM-pee |
| I am turning thirty. | Compio trent’anni. / Ne compio trenta. | KOM-pyoh tren-TAHN-nee / neh KOM-pyoh TREN-tah |
| What year were you born? (casual) | Di che anno sei? | dee keh AHN-noh SEH-ee |
| I was born in 1990. (casual) | Sono del novanta. | SOH-noh dehl noh-VAHN-tah |
Italian says “I have thirty years” (ho trent’anni), not “I am thirty”, so the verb is avere (“to have”), as in Ho trent’anni.
The verb “compiere”: to turn a year older
Italian does not say “turn thirty” with the verb to be or to turn. It uses compiere, which means “to complete”. In the present tense:
- io compio (KOM-pyoh): Compio trent’anni a giugno. I turn thirty in June.
- tu compi (KOM-pee): Quando compi gli anni? When do you have your birthday?
- lui / lei compie (KOM-pyeh): Mia sorella compie diciotto anni domani. My sister turns eighteen tomorrow.
- noi compiamo (kom-PYAH-moh): Compiamo gli anni lo stesso giorno! We have our birthdays on the same day!
- loro compiono (KOM-pyoh-noh): I miei genitori compiono gli anni a maggio. My parents have their birthdays in May.
The past form is ho compiuto: Ho compiuto trent’anni ieri. (“I turned thirty yesterday.”) The expression compiere gli anni is the everyday way to say “to have a birthday”. In Treccani, the verb is explained with the example compio oggi vent’anni (“I turn twenty today”) (Treccani: compiere).
Invitations, gifts and thanks
| English | Italian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Are you coming to my birthday party? | Vieni alla mia festa di compleanno? | VYEH-nee AHL-lah MEE-ah FEH-stah dee kom-pleh-AHN-noh |
| I got you a gift. | Ti ho preso un regalo. | tee oh PREH-zoh oon reh-GAH-loh |
| This is for you. | Questo è per te. | KWEH-stoh eh pehr teh |
| You shouldn’t have! | Non dovevi! | nohn doh-VEH-vee |
| Thank you very much! | Grazie mille! | GRAH-tsyeh MEEL-leh |
| Happy birthday! (reply: thanks) | Grazie! | GRAH-tsyeh |
These phrases use the informal tu. With someone you address as Lei, change the verb: Viene alla mia festa? and Questo è per Lei.
Quick practice dialogue
Quand’è il tuo compleanno? — Il mio compleanno è il 24 giugno. Compio trent’anni!
Translation: When is your birthday? — My birthday is on 24 June. I’m turning thirty!
Vieni alla mia festa di compleanno sabato? — Certo! Ti ho preso un regalo.
Translation: Are you coming to my birthday party on Saturday? — Of course! I got you a gift.
Common questions
What does “compiere gli anni” mean?
It means “to have a birthday”, literally “to complete the years”. Quando compi gli anni? is a natural way to ask when someone’s birthday is.
Should “buon compleanno” be capitalised?
Not in running text. Use a capital letter only at the start of a sentence. Days and months are also written with a small letter in Italian.
Which phrases are safe for beginners?
Buon compleanno!, Tanti auguri!, Quand’è il tuo compleanno? and Grazie! will carry you through most situations.
- How to say happy birthday in Italian (with pronunciation)
- Italian birthday wishes and messages, with translations
- Italian birthday traditions, name days and the birthday song
Sources
Treccani, Vocabolario: compiere, compleanno.
