Question
Updated on
6 Nov 2014
- Japanese
-
English (US)
-
Korean
Question about English (US)
Could we say "Congratulations on your birthday" in English instead of saying "Happy Birthday?" Does this sound natural?
Could we say "Congratulations on your birthday" in English instead of saying "Happy Birthday?" Does this sound natural?
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- English (US)
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
Unnatural
You usually "congratulate on" someone's achievement.
Ex: Congratulations on the new house, it's beautiful.
But in the next case, it's perfectly normal. Ex: Did many people congratulate you on your birthday?
- Japanese
Thanks.
- English (US)
Unnatural
Usually you have to work for congratulations. So you have to do something. But, for birthdays you don't have to do anything so congratulations sounds weird, though people would understand.
- Japanese
Okay. Thanks!
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