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Questions & Answers about Feliz aniversário, mãe!
Doesn't aniversário mean 'anniversary'?
I've heard people say Parabéns for birthdays. Can I use that instead of Feliz aniversário?
Yes, absolutely! Parabéns literally means 'Congratulations', but it is actually the most common way to wish someone a happy birthday in Portugal. You can use either phrase interchangeably for birthdays.
How do I pronounce the nasal sound in mãe?
The ãe sound is a nasal vowel combination. It sounds a bit like the English word 'mine', but spoken through your nose. Try saying 'my' and letting the sound resonate in your nasal cavity, without your tongue touching the roof of your mouth.
Why don't we say minha mãe (my mum) here?
Just like in English where we say 'Happy birthday, Mum' rather than 'Happy birthday, my mum', Portuguese leaves out the possessive word minha when you are speaking directly to your mother.