English everyday – congratulations

It’s my birthday! (It’s not, but stick with me)… What will you say to me? Happy Birthday? Congratulations? Something else?

It is a bit strange that in English we have one special word to express best wishes, greetings and compliments; Congratulations, but we don’t use that word for birthdays!

We don’t say it at Christmas or Easter or new year, or other holidays. Instead say:

• Happy birthday
• Happy Easter
• Happy Christmas
• Happy new year
• Happy holidays
• Happy Eid
• Happy Hanukkah
• Happy (religious holiday)
• Happy (day of the week!)
• Happy Mothers’/ Fathers’/ Children’s/ Grandparents’/ Teachers’ Day

But we do use congratulations for an achievement, or after hard work

• Congratulations on your exam results/ driving test/ graduation.
• Congratulations on (buying) your new house.
• Congratulations on your new baby.
• Congratulations on your new job/ your promotions/ your retirement.
• Congratulations on your hard work/ your success/ your achievement.

Yes, it’s always with an ‘s’ when it’s a noun. There is a verb to congratulate – you can say “I congratulated him on his graduation,” for example.

Weddings and engagements are slightly different, because they’re not celebrating hard work, but it’s ok to say:

• Congratulations on your engagement/ your wedding/ your wedding anniversary

Maybe wedding anniversaries are an achievement! It’s also ok to say:

• Happy wedding day (but not happy wedding)
• Happy (wedding) anniversary.

What other expressions do we use to express good wishes? Let me know below.

Liked this? Get more every week with my email newsletter, including a mini-speaking challenge. Sign up here.