When to use it
For grandparents and older relatives, use the honorific word 생신 instead of 생일. Koreans eat seaweed soup (미역국) on their birthday.
Letter by letter: 생일 축하해요
Korean is written in syllable blocks. Here is what each block of 생일 축하해요 is made of.
| Block | Letters | Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| 생 | ㅅ + ㅐ + ㅇ | ㅅ s, ㅐ ae, ㅇ ng (at the end) |
| 일 | ㅇ + ㅣ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent, ㅣ i, ㄹ l (at the end) |
| 축 | ㅊ + ㅜ + ㄱ | ㅊ ch, ㅜ u, ㄱ k (at the end) |
| 하 | ㅎ + ㅏ | ㅎ h, ㅏ a |
| 해 | ㅎ + ㅐ | ㅎ h, ㅐ ae |
| 요 | ㅇ + ㅛ | ㅇ silent, ㅛ yo |
Written 생일 축하해요, but said [생일 추카해요]: aspiration (ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ + ㅎ). The romanizer explains these sound rules for any word.
New to the letters? Tap through the Hangul chart to hear each one.
How to type it
On a standard Korean keyboard (2-set), press these keys in order:
TㅅOㅐDㅇDㅇLㅣFㄹSpace␣CㅊNㅜRㄱGㅎKㅏGㅎOㅐDㅇYㅛ
Practice with the online Korean keyboard, or learn the layout in the typing test.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "Happy birthday" in Korean?
The everyday polite way is 생일 축하해요 (saengil chukahaeyo). The formal version is 생신 축하드립니다. With close friends, say 생일 축하해.
How do you pronounce 생일 축하해요?
It sounds like "saengil chukahaeyo", because of Korean sound changes it is said as [생일 추카해요]. Press the speaker button on this page to hear it.
Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean, with sound changes. Audio: a recorded native-sounding Korean voice.
Last checked: 2026-10-20