How to say happy birthday in slang

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Introduction
• When is it appropriate?
• What sort of slang should I choose?
• How should I deliver my message?
• What should I actually say?

Overview

The best way to say happy birthday in slang is 'appy bleedin' birthday', or if you want to be a little less edgy, just 'happy birthday mate'. Read on for lots more ideas.

Introduction

In this article I'll give you some ideas for fun ways to say happy birthday in a casual and relaxed way. It's not always appropriate to use slang, so it's important to think about who you're talking to.

I'll talk about that, as well as how to decide exactly what sort of slang you should use and how best to deliver it. For example, it might be fine to say 'appy bleedin' birthday mate', but how you say it and the tone of voice you use is also important. Or maybe you're writing a message on a card or sending an email, in which case the wording will be even more important.

When is it appropriate?

Honestly it's impossible for me to tell you when it's ok and when it isn't, but I can give you some things to think about.

The main thing is whether the person is likely to be offended if you use a more informal greeting. If you've known them for years and have spoken with them about all sorts of things then you'll have a pretty good idea of what sort of person they are. If they're easy-going and relaxed then you'll probably be ok with using some sort of slang, but if they're quite uptight then they'll probably prefer something more formal.

Of course it's not just about them, it's also about what environment you're in. For example if you're at work in an office or other professional environment you'll probably want to play it safe and stick with something like 'happy birthday mate'. If however you're out at the pub or some other informal place then you'll have a lot more freedom.

What sort of slang should I choose?

As I mentioned above it depends partly on who you're talking to and where you are, but also partly on your relationship with the person. If they're a good friend of yours and someone you've known for years then it's probably ok to say something silly or mildly offensive because they'll be confident that you're joking. However if it's someone you've only just met then they might take offence at something playful that was meant as a joke.

As much as anything else it depends on your confidence level; if you look like you know what you're doing people seem less likely to challenge you. Maybe that's just my experience but I've noticed that being all self-conscious and walking around nervously seems to make people look at me weirdly. But if I'm confident (never sure if I'm using the word correctly) they leave me alone and seem less likely to question anything I do.

How should I deliver my message?

This is another one that's hard for me to help with without knowing anything about your situation, but I'll do my best anyway.

• If you're writing an email I'd keep it simple and straightforward. You don't want someone reading your email out loud in front of everyone else.

• If it's in person or on the phone I'd still keep it simple unless you're confident that they're relaxed and won't mind anything silly.

• If it's written in a card I'd still keep it simple! It's hard for people who don't know you well enough!

• Otherwise I think most things are ok as long as the two of you are alone.

What should I actually say?

OK so I've been going on long enough now, let's get down to business; here are some examples of what you could say:

I'll start with the simple and harmless ones:

• 'Happy birthday mate', this one is quite harmless, although 'mate' could be considered offensive by some people.
• 'Happy birthday dude', again not very edgy, this one is similar but less likely to offend anyone.
• 'Have a great day', this isn't going too far out there but could still be considered inappropriate by some people.

Now let's move up a notch:

• Happy bloody birthday', now we're starting to get slightly risky here. It probably wouldn't offend anyone but could make them raise their eyebrows!
• 'Hope you have an awesome day', again this wouldn't offend anyone but could be considered poor taste by certain sensitive types.

And finally let's try something really silly:

• 'I hope your day is even better than eating chocolate cake while sitting in a hot bath.' This one's only intended as a joke but would certainly offend some people.
• 'I hope someone buys something nice for your cat.' This one's harmless really but might make them feel like you're not taking their special day seriously!
• I'm sorry there's no real answer here - all we can do is guess!