If you’re visiting Amsterdam or other parts of the Netherlands and planning to celebrate a birthday, it’s a fun plan to learn some Dutch birthday customs in advance. The Dutch have a couple of phrases that are functionally equivalent to our “happy birthday,” as well as other unique holiday customs.
customs
Birthdays are important in Dutch culture. Whether you like it or not, if it’s your birthday, friends and family will try to plan a celebratory gathering with you. A cake is a must, but the twist is that no one will buy one, you must bring your own cake to your own party. Furthermore, you are not guaranteed to receive gifts. However, if you receive a gift, you are obliged to open it in front of everyone at the party as a sign of respect for the giver.
Birthdays in the Netherlands are almost always celebrated at work and at school, and you will need to bring another cake in this case as well. Do you have a large office or does your child have a large class? Plan ahead. You may need to bring a lot of cake for everyone.
Greetings
The most common Dutch birthday greeting, Gefeliciteerd, is actually the word ‘congratulations’. This phrase is addressed not only to you, the birthday person, but is also wished for your party host and your family and close friends. It is not unusual for a Dutch birthday party to begin with an elaborate round of congratulations to all in attendance. The greeting is usually accompanied by three alternate kisses on each cheek.
Some variations of the phrase include Van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! This translates to “Sincere congratulations on your birthday!”
A less common phrase that can be used is Gelukkige verjaardag! This literally means “happy birthday.”
Common phrases and words
Keeping brushing on festive Dutch words and phrases, as well as simple birthday song lyrics, can help make life in Holland fun, and it’s a great way to experience culture with friends. You may also want to learn how to say “please” and “thank you.”
Song
Last but not least, there is also a Dutch birthday song, of course. It is sung on the same stage as “Happy Birthday” in English, and its lyrics and melody are quite simple. There are only seven words in total, and those words are not too difficult to pronounce, which is ideal for Dutch elementary level students.
Long will he/she live,
Long will he/she live,
Long will he/she live,
in the glory,
in the glory,
in the glory,
Hip, hip, hip, hooray!
¡Hip, hip, hip, hooray!
¡Hip, hip, hip, hooray!
In English, these lines are translated as: “Long live”, “in glory” and “hip, hip, hip, hooray!”
