Breakdown of Je bent jarig: van harte gefeliciteerd!
jarig
having one's birthday
van harte gefeliciteerd
congratulations
Questions & Answers about Je bent jarig: van harte gefeliciteerd!
Why does it say Je bent jarig instead of translating "It is your birthday" directly?
While you could say Het is jouw verjaardag, Dutch speakers almost always use the adjective jarig with the verb zijn (to be) for birthdays. It literally means something like "You are having a birthday."
What does van harte gefeliciteerd mean word-for-word?
It translates to "from heart congratulated." The whole phrase is the most common way to say "Happy birthday" in Dutch, as well as to offer warm congratulations for other major life events.
Why is the past participle gefeliciteerd used here on its own?
In Dutch, it is very common to use a past participle on its own as an exclamation. While English uses the noun "Congratulations!", Dutch speakers use Gefeliciteerd! (literally: congratulated) to wish someone well.
Why is there an extra 'e' at the end of harte instead of just hart?
Van harte is a fixed, traditional expression. The 'e' on the end of hart is a leftover from an old Dutch grammar rule that used to follow the preposition van. You only need to remember it as part of this set phrase!
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