# I wish you a happy birthday



## sergioquarto

Hi! 

How do I say "I wish you a happy birthday!" in Greek? Is it correct to say: "Σας εύχομαι χαρούμενα γενέθλια!"? 

Thanks in advance.


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## cougr

That's correct. Except you may want to replace the word "σας" which is more formal, with "σου".


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## sergioquarto

_Thank you for the kind answer_. 
God bless you!
Cheerio!


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## makot

Very often we say 
Σου εύχομαι Χρόνια Πολλά (with or without) για τα γενέθλιά σου

Σας when addressed to a single person indicates respect (un po' come 'La prego, Signore'). Otherwise it simply indicates plural.

Σου indicates you are addressing a single person you are on friendly terms with (es. 'ti prego, Mario...')


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## sergioquarto

Hi!
Thank you for the kind answer. 
God bless you!
Cheerio!
P.S. Congratulations for your italian


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## makot

non c'è di che!


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## Infomath

sergioquarto said:


> Hi!
> 
> How do I say "I wish you a happy birthday!" in Greek? Is it correct to say: "Σας εύχομαι χαρούμενα γενέθλια!"?
> 
> Thanks in advance.



Good morning!

Even though the translation is correct, we nearly never use that wish to birthdays.  The most common phrase is:"να τα εκατοστήσεις" that means to live 100 years or "να τα χιλιάσεις" that is to live 1000 years!


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## cougr

infomath said:


> good morning!
> 
> Even though the translation is correct, we nearly never use that wish to birthdays.  The most common phrase is:"να τα εκατοστήσεις" that means to live 100 years or "να τα χιλιάσεις" that is to live 1000 years!



Αναρωτιέμαι, το "σου εύχομαι μακροημέρευση" χρησιμοποιήται καθόλου;


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## makot

Sorry to disappoint you, cougr, but only rarely.
Σας εύχομαι υγεία και μακροημέρευση used to be quite popular in a formal/official context, and may still be used from one chief of state to another or by an archbishop addressing the clergy. It is definitely not something a friend would wish a friend - maybe not even sth an employee would say to an employer. It's a question of register...

By the way, I've noticed you use χρησιμοποιείτε sometimes. That means 'you use', in plural. If you want to say 'is used' (as above), the correct spelling is χρησιμοποιείται...


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## cougr

makot said:


> Sorry to disappoint you, cougr, but only rarely.
> Σας εύχομαι υγεία και μακροημέρευση used to be quite popular in a formal/official context, and may still be used from one chief of state to another or by an archbishop addressing the clergy. It is definitely not something a friend would wish a friend - maybe not even sth an employee would say to an employer. It's a question of register...
> 
> By the way, I've noticed you use χρησιμοποιείτε sometimes. That means 'you use', in plural. If you want to say 'is used' (as above), the correct spelling is χρησιμοποιείται...



Thanks for the reply and spelling correction, it's appreciated. This time it was a case of a lapse in concentration.


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## makot

Judging from your posts so far, I was sure it could be no more than that, but I simply felt it would be best to point it out (for future reference as well). It was definitely not criticism...


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## elliest_5

cougr said:


> Αναρωτιέμαι, το "σου εύχομαι μακροημέρευση" χρησιμοποιήται καθόλου;



πιστεύω πως τωρα πια, όταν χρησιμοποιείται το "υγεία και μακροημέρευση" (επειδή ακούγεται υπερβολικά επιτηδευμένο και επίσημο) είναι για χιουμοριστικούς λόγους (πχ. στην παρέα μου το λέμε καμια φορά όταν τσουγκρίζουμε τα ποτήρια, κάνοντας πλάκα βέβαια)


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## cougr

elliest_5 said:


> πιστεύω πως τωρα πια, όταν χρησιμοποιείται το "υγεία και μακροημέρευση" (επειδή ακούγεται υπερβολικά επιτηδευμένο και επίσημο) είναι για χιουμοριστικούς λόγους (πχ. στην παρέα μου το λέμε καμια φορά όταν τσουγκρίζουμε τα ποτήρια, κάνοντας πλάκα βέβαια)



Ευχαριστώ elliest.


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## nikoletta96book

yes is correct  
but also we say χρονια πολλα  (xronia polla)  or να ζισεις (na zisisis)


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