Happy Birthday: Meaning, Grammar, and Practical Usage

Celebrating someone is a common gesture in Italian culture. The expression "felice per il compleanno" often appears in these situations. Understanding when and how to use this phrase helps those who want to speak like a native, avoiding common mistakes. In this article, you will learn the meaning, basic rules, typical errors, and many real examples.

Table of Contents

• What does "felice per il compleanno" mean?
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What does "felice per il compleanno" mean?

• Being happy or joyful for one's own birthday or someone else's.
• "Felice": adjective indicating a state of happiness or satisfaction.
• "Per": preposition expressing cause, reason, or motivation for the emotion.
• "Il compleanno": event celebrating a person's birth date.

The Grammar Behind the Phrase: Rules and Common Errors

• The adjective "felice" is invariable: it is always "felice", not "felici" when referring to a single person, but "felici" is used for the plural.
• The correct preposition is "per": wrong to use "di", "a" or "su" in this context.
• Correct example: "Sono felice per il compleanno di mia sorella."
• Wrong example: "Sono felice di il compleanno." (incorrect use of the preposition)
• People often forget to specify the cause with "per," making the sentence incomplete.

Real-life examples with "felice per il compleanno"

• Dialogue 1: A family party
  Person A: "Domani è il tuo compleanno! Come ti senti?"
  Person B: "Sono davvero felice per il compleanno. Non vedo l'ora di festeggiare con tutti voi."

• Dialogue 2: Friends writing to each other
  Person A: "Buon compleanno, Marco! Hai programmi speciali?"
  Person B: "Grazie! Sono felice per il compleanno, soprattutto perché posso passarlo con gli amici."

• Dialogue 3: Unexpected gift
  Person A: "Hai ricevuto il regalo della zia?"
  Person B: "Sì, sono rimasta molto felice per il compleanno! È stato un pensiero davvero carino."

• Dialogue 4: Wishes to a colleague
  Person A: "Oggi spegniamo le candeline insieme?"
  Person B: "Certo! Felice per il compleanno, soprattutto se c'è la torta!"

Related Words and Expressions

Conclusion

"Felice per il compleanno" expresses genuine joy for the birthday of someone. Try writing in the comments your own example: with whom were you happy for a birthday?

For further reading: consult the "felice" section on Treccani Dictionary.