С днём рождения - three words, two grammatical cases, and a cultural tradition that's the opposite of what you'd expect.
С днём рождения works universally - with friends, family, your boss, a child, anyone. There's no formal/informal split like with greetings. The phrase is the same in a birthday card, a text message, or a toast at the table.
Notice there's no word for "happy" - it's implied. The literal translation is "With the day of birth!" - a congratulatory construction. Russian doesn't need the adjective; the С (with) already carries the celebratory meaning.
For a warmer, more personal version, add the person's name or a wish: С днём рождения, Маша! Желаю тебе счастья и здоровья! (Happy birthday, Masha! I wish you happiness and health!).
Three words, two cases: С днём рождения. The preposition С (with) requires the instrumental case - so день (day) becomes днём. Meanwhile, рождения is the genitive of рождение (birth), because it modifies "day" - "day of birth." This same "С + instrumental" pattern powers all Russian congratulations: С Новым годом! (Happy New Year!), С праздником! (Happy holiday!), С победой! (Congratulations on the win!).
From the standard phrase to elaborate wishes - Russian birthday culture loves a good speech.
| Russian | Pronunciation | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| С днём рождения! | S dnyom rozhdeniya! | The standard. Works everywhere, with anyone. |
| С ДР! | S de-er! | Texting abbreviation. "ДР" = "день рождения." Casual, between friends. |
| С днюхой! | S dnyukhoy! | Slang "happy b-day." Informal, playful. Young people, close friends. |
| Поздравляю! | Pozdravlyayu! | "Congratulations!" General-purpose - works for birthdays, promotions, holidays. |
| Желаю счастья и здоровья! | Zhelayu schast'ya i zdorov'ya! | "I wish you happiness and health!" The classic follow-up wish. |
| Всего самого наилучшего! | Vsego samogo nailuchshego! | "All the very best!" Formal, often in cards and official wishes. |
| Многая лета! | Mnogaya leta! | "Many years!" Church Slavonic origin. Traditional, solemn. Often sung. |
| Здоровья, любви и удачи! | Zdorov'ya, lyubvi i udachi! | "Health, love, and luck!" - a common three-part wish formula. |
The birthday person throws the party. In Russia, the birthday person (именинник / именинница) organizes and typically pays for the celebration. They invite friends to a restaurant, cook at home, or bring treats to the office. Guests bring gifts but aren't expected to plan anything. This is the exact opposite of many Western cultures.
Never congratulate early. Wishing someone happy birthday before the actual date is considered bad luck in Russian culture. If you can't be there on the day, wish them after - never before. This superstition is taken seriously by most Russians, even younger ones.
Work birthdays are a thing. At Russian workplaces, the birthday person traditionally brings cake, candy, or fruit for their colleagues. It's expected, not optional. Skipping this is noticed.
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