How do you say ‘Happy birthday’ in Tamil?

When to say it

Say this on someone's birthday, when you see them, call them or send a message. It fits a card, a cake, a phone call to a grandmother, or a message in the family group.

A shorter form

You can leave out the first word and say பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துகள். It still means "birthday wishes" and is just as kind. இனிய adds warmth, so many people like to keep it.

Two spellings

You will see the last word written in two ways: வாழ்த்துகள் and வாழ்த்துக்கள், with an extra க். Both are common on cards and online, and readers understand both.

Answering the wish

When someone wishes you, say நன்றி or மிக்க நன்றி, "thank you very much". You can use the same phrase for a friend, a child or an elder. It is polite enough for everyone, so you do not need a different form for older relatives.