How to Say Happy Birthday in Georgian (Plus Essential Party Vocabulary!)

Whether you are planning a trip to the Caucasus, connecting with Georgian friends online, or looking to surprise someone with a unique greeting, learning how to say “happy birthday” in Georgian is a wonderful way to show you care.

Georgian (Kartuli) is a mesmerizing, ancient Kartvelian language famous for its unique script and rich musicality. While mastering its complex grammar takes time, learning a few celebratory phrases is surprisingly approachable—and guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face!

1. The Main Event: How to Say “Happy Birthday”

The standard, most common way to wish someone a happy birthday in Georgian is:

გილოცავ დაბადების დღეს!
Pronunciation: gilotcav dabadis dghes!
Literal Translation: “I congratulate you on your birth day!”

Let’s break down the pronunciation to make sure you sound natural:

• gi-lot-cav: Pronounced much like it looks, with a soft “g” and the stress on the second syllable.
• da-ba-de-bis: Meaning “birth” or “of birth.”
• dghes: Meaning “day.” The dgh sound is a single, robust consonant sound produced by pronouncing “d” and “gh” closely together.

Making It Personal

If you want to address the person directly by name, you simply place their name at the beginning or the end of the greeting. For example, to wish your friend Giorgi a happy birthday, you would say:

გიორგი, გილოცავ დაბადების დღეს!
Pronunciation: Giorgi, gilotcav dabadis dghes!
(Giorgi, happy birthday!)

2. Elevate Your Wishes: Extended Georgian Birthday Phrases

Want to go beyond the basics and sound like a native speaker? Georgians are renowned for their poetic flair and heartfelt toasts (dadabi), so adding a little extra warmth will be deeply appreciated.

• მრავალს დაესწარი! (Mravals daestsari!)
  • Meaning: “May you live to see many more years!” / “May you attend many more!”
  • When to use: This is a classic, traditional Georgian greeting used on birthdays and major holidays. It expresses a wish for longevity and health.
• გისურვებ წარმატებას და ბედნიერებას! (Gisurveb tsarmatebas da bednierebas!)
  • Meaning: “I wish you success and happiness!”
• ჯანმრთელობას და სიხარულს გისურვებ! (Janmrtelobas da sikharuls gisurveb!)
  • Meaning: “I wish you health and joy!”

3. Raise a Glass: The Georgian Birthday Toast

No birthday celebration in Georgia is complete without a Supra (traditional feast) and a heartfelt toast. If you find yourself celebrating with Georgian friends, you will definitely want to know how to toast the birthday person:

გაუმარჯოს დაბადების დღის პატრონს!
Pronunciation: Gaumarjos dabadis dghis patrons!
Meaning: “Long live the owner of the birthday!” (Cheers to the birthday person!)

• გაუმარჯოს (Gaumarjos) is the universal Georgian word for “Cheers!” or “Victory to…”.

4. Essential Vocabulary for a Georgian Birthday Party

If you are attending a celebration or writing a birthday card, these extra words and phrases will help you navigate the festivities:

| Georgian Phrase | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| :— | :— | :— |
| ტორტი | torti | Cake |
| საჩუქარი | sachukari | Gift / Present |
| სადღეგრძელo | sadghegrdelo | Toast |
| მიხარია! | mikharia! | I am glad! / I’m happy! |
| გილოცავ! | gilotcav! | Congratulations! |

Quick Review Checklist

1. The Core Phrase: Gilotcav dabadis dghes! (Happy Birthday!)
2. The Traditional Wish: Mravals daestsari! (May you see many more!)
3. The Toast: Gaumarjos! (Cheers!)

Armed with these phrases, you are more than ready to celebrate in authentic Georgian style. Gilotcav!