der  Geburtstag

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈbʊʁtstaːk/

🎂 What exactly is a 'Geburtstag'?

Der Geburtstag (masculine noun) refers to the annual anniversary of a person's birth. It's the day you complete another year of life and is often associated with celebrations, gifts, and good wishes.

• Example: Wann hast du Geburtstag? (When is your birthday?)
• Example: Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag! (Happy birthday!)

There's only this one article and this one main meaning for this word. No risk of confusion! 🎉

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Geburtstag

The word "Geburtstag" is a masculine noun. Here are the declension tables:

📝 Application Examples

1. Nominative: Der Geburtstag ist ein besonderer Tag. (The birthday is a special day.)
2. Genitive: Die Planung des Geburtstags braucht Zeit. (The planning of the birthday takes time.)
3. Dative: Ich gratuliere dir herzlich zum Geburtstag (zu + dem). (I wish you a happy birthday / Congratulations on your birthday.)
4. Accusative: Wir feiern den Geburtstag meiner Oma. (We are celebrating my grandma's birthday.)
5. Plural: Alle Geburtstage im Dezember werden gemeinsam gefeiert. (All birthdays in December are celebrated together.)

🎉 How to Use 'Geburtstag'

"Geburtstag" is mainly used in the context of personal anniversaries of birth:

• Congratulations: You wish someone "Alles Gute zum Geburtstag" or "Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag" (Happy Birthday).
• Celebrations: You talk about celebrating your birthday ("Ich feiere meinen Geburtstag" - I'm celebrating my birthday).
• Date: You ask for the date ("Wann hast du Geburtstag?" - When is your birthday?) or state it ("Mein Geburtstag ist im Juli" - My birthday is in July).
• Gifts: Birthdays are often associated with gifts ("Was wünschst du dir zum Geburtstag?" - What do you wish for your birthday?).

It's sometimes used metaphorically for anniversaries of institutions or events (e.g., "der Geburtstag der Firma" - the company's birthday), although "Jahrestag" (anniversary) or "Jubiläum" (jubilee) are often more precise here.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Geburtstag'

For the article 'der': Think of it as THE big day of the year, THE special day. In German, 'Tag' (day) is 'der Tag'. Since 'Geburtstag' ends in '-tag', it keeps the masculine article: der Geburtstag.

For the meaning: The word is composed of "Geburt" (birth) and "Tag" (day). So it literally means the day of the birth. Easy, right? 😉

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

⚠️ Similar Words (Watch Out!)

• Jubiläum (das): Refers to an anniversary of a specific event (e.g., wedding, company founding), often in larger intervals (10, 25, 50 years). It can refer to birthdays (e.g., 50th birthday), but not every birthday is a 'Jubiläum'.
• Feiertag (der): An official holiday, often statutory, when people don't work (e.g., Christmas, Easter). A birthday is usually a personal day of celebration, but not an official 'Feiertag' (except perhaps for very prominent figures!).

😂 A Little Birthday Joke

German: Fragt der Enkel seine Oma: "Oma, wie alt bist du eigentlich?" Sagt die Oma: "Ach, mein Kind, das weiß ich gar nicht mehr so genau. Jedes Jahr zum Geburtstag packe ich eine Kerze mehr auf den Kuchen, aber irgendwann habe ich aufgehört zu zählen und angefangen, sie zu wiegen!"

English Translation: The grandson asks his grandma: "Grandma, how old are you actually?" The grandma says: "Oh, my child, I don't really know anymore. Every year for my birthday, I put one more candle on the cake, but at some point, I stopped counting and started weighing them!" 🎂⚖️

✍️ A Little Poem

German:
Der Geburtstag, welch ein Fest,
Wenn die Jahreszahl dich testen lässt.
Ein Tag für Kuchen, Kerzenschein, 🎂
So soll dein Ehrentag heut' sein!
Gesundheit, Glück und froher Mut,
Das tut dir sicher richtig gut!

English Translation:
The birthday, what a feast,
When the year's number puts you to the test.
A day for cake, candlelight's gleam, 🎂
So shall your day of honour beam!
Health, happiness, and cheerful mood,
That will surely do you good!

❓ Can You Guess?

German:
Ich komme jedes Jahr nur einmal,
Bring' Kuchen, Kerzen, ohne Wahl.
Man feiert mich mal groß, mal klein,
Was mag ich wohl für ein Tag sein?

English Translation:
I come only once every year,
Bring cake, candles, without choice, it's clear.
I'm celebrated big or small,
What kind of day might I be, after all?

Solution: Der Geburtstag (The Birthday)

💡 More Tidbits about 'Geburtstag'

• Word Composition: The word is a compound of "die Geburt" (birth) and "der Tag" (day).
• Cultural Note: Birthday celebrations ('Geburtstagsfeiern') are an important social occasion in Germany and many other cultures. Traditions can vary, but cake ('Kuchen'), songs (e.g., "Zum Geburtstag viel Glück" - Happy Birthday to You), and gifts ('Geschenke') are common.
• Half Birthday: Some people jokingly celebrate their "halber Geburtstag" exactly six months after their actual birth date.