Italian birthdays have much in common with birthdays elsewhere: a cake, candles, a song and a lot of greetings. A few details are distinctly Italian, though, and several are worth knowing before you wish an Italian friend a happy birthday. This page covers the song Tanti auguri a te, what happens at the table, a popular belief about early wishes, and the name day, the onomastico.
The birthday song: “Tanti auguri a te”
The traditional Italian birthday song is Tanti auguri a te (TAHN-tee ow-GOO-ree ah teh), which means “many good wishes to you”. It is sung to the same tune as “Happy Birthday to You”. It follows the same pattern as the English song:
- Line 1: Tanti auguri a te
- Line 2: Tanti auguri a te (repeated)
- Line 3: Tanti auguri a… and the name of the birthday person
- Line 4: Tanti auguri a te
Everyone sings it together while the cake is brought to the table. If you know the English tune, you already know the melody.
Cake, candles and the wish
The birthday cake is the torta di compleanno. It carries candles (candeline), and the birthday person blows them out (spegnere le candeline) while making a secret wish (esprimere un desiderio). The guest of honour is called il festeggiato (a man) or la festeggiata (a woman).
Do not wish happy birthday too early
Many Italians believe that wishing someone a happy birthday before the day itself brings bad luck, and some find it rude. It is a popular belief, not a law, and plenty of people ignore it, but it is the reason you will often see Italians waiting until the day, and then sending auguri in ritardo (belated wishes) if they miss it. If you are unsure, wait until the day. See how to say happy birthday in Italian for the phrases.
Who pays for the party?
In Italy it is common for the birthday person to treat the guests, with a drink, an aperitivo or a meal, rather than being treated. The verb is offrire: Offro io! (“It’s on me!”). Language guides describe this as a custom to expect, although it varies between groups of friends and families.
Pulling the earlobes
Some Italians mark the day with a playful gesture: gently tugging the birthday person’s earlobe, once for each year of age. It is described as a joke among friends and family rather than a formal ritual, and it is not universal. We have not found a reliable source for where it comes from, so treat any explanation you read with caution.
Turning eighteen
At eighteen a person becomes maggiorenne, which in Italian law means being a legal adult (Treccani: maggiorenne). The eighteenth birthday, i diciotto anni, is often celebrated with a bigger party than other birthdays.
A traditional wish: “Cento di questi giorni”
Cento di questi giorni! (CHEN-toh dee KWEH-stee JOR-nee) means “a hundred of these days”: you wish the person a hundred more birthdays, or a long life. It is traditional and a little old-fashioned, and it is often associated with older speakers.
The name day: “onomastico”
The onomastico (oh-noh-MAS-tee-koh) is the feast day of the saint whose name a person bears. On the date the Church honours that saint, people with that name traditionally celebrate. Treccani gives the example oggi è il mio onomastico (“today is my name day”) (Treccani: onomastico).
- The greeting is Buon onomastico! (bwohn oh-noh-MAS-tee-koh) or simply Auguri!
- Some well-known dates: 19 March, San Giuseppe (Joseph); 24 June, San Giovanni (John); 4 October, San Francesco (Francis); 13 December, Santa Lucia (Lucy).
- It is usually marked in a small way, for example with a pastry or a small gift. According to one Italian-culture article, it is more common in central and southern Italy, and not everyone celebrates it (La Gazzetta Italiana).
Useful party vocabulary
| Italian | How to say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| la festa di compleanno | lah FEH-stah dee kom-pleh-AHN-noh | birthday party |
| la torta | lah TOR-tah | cake |
| le candeline | leh kahn-deh-LEE-neh | birthday candles |
| il regalo | eel reh-GAH-loh | gift |
| il biglietto di auguri | eel bee-LYET-toh dee ow-GOO-ree | greeting card |
| gli invitati | lyee een-vee-TAH-tee | the guests |
| la festa a sorpresa | lah FEH-stah ah sor-PREH-zah | surprise party |
| Buon onomastico! | bwohn oh-noh-MAS-tee-koh | Happy name day! |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Italian birthday song?
It is Tanti auguri a te, sung to the “Happy Birthday to You” tune.
Is it bad luck to say happy birthday early in Italy?
Many Italians believe so, and some find it rude. It is a widespread belief rather than a rule, and not everyone follows it.
What is an onomastico?
A name day: the feast day of the saint you are named after. People may greet you with Buon onomastico!
Does the birthday person pay in Italy?
It is common for the birthday person to offer drinks or food, although customs vary.
Keep reading
- How to say happy birthday in Italian (with pronunciation)
- Italian birthday wishes and messages, with translations
- Talking about birthdays in Italian
Sources
Treccani, Vocabolario: onomastico, maggiorenne. Name-day dates and regional notes: La Gazzetta Italiana. Customs described as popular beliefs or habits (early wishes, who pays, earlobes) come from general language-learning and culture guides, such as Think in Italian, and vary from person to person.
