How to pronounce birthday
Say it like BURTH-day. Birthday has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BURTH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce birthday. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BURTH
- day
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Birthday pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BURTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- dayGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of birthday
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BURTH-day.
What does birthday mean?
- an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
- the date on which a person was born
Where does birthday come from?
From Middle English birthdai, birtheday, from Old English ġebyrddæġ (“birthday”), influenced by Old Norse burðr, equivalent to birth + day.
Questions about saying birthday
How do you pronounce birthday?
Say BURTH-day. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɝθˌdeɪ/. In British English it is /ˈbɜːθˌdeɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in birthday?
Birthday has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BURTH). Broken into parts: BURTH · day.
Is birthday pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈbɜːθˌdeɪ/ (BURTH-day).