French, "the language of love," is ideal for making a birthday card unique. French students and language lovers will benefit from this resource of birthday vocabulary and sayings.
Materials
Gather art and scrapbooking supplies to create a special, homemade card. In an age of e-cards and texting, a personal greeting will stand out as a favorite for the recipient. Use festive colored paper, markers, glitter, scissors, and glue. Peruse the scrapbooking aisle of your favorite craft store for birthday-themed cut outs and stickers. While you're at it, select French touches like Eiffel Towers and cafe scenes. If you wish, you can add embellishments such as sequins, ribbons, buttons, bows, and memorable photos.
French Birthday Vocabulary
Decorate your carte d'anniversaire with labelled images of birthday items.
- le gâteau - cake
- la bougie - candle
- la glace - ice cream
- le cadeau - present
- les ballons - balloons
- les fleurs - flowers
- la fête - party
- la surprise-partie - surprise party
French Birthday Greetings and Sayings
- Bon Anniversaire - Happy Birthday
- Joyeux Anniversaire - Happy Birthday
- À - to
- Pour - for
- De - from
- Mon cher ______ - My dear (insert boy's name)
- Ma chère ______ - My dear (insert girl's name)
- Je pense à toi. - I'm thinking of you
- Le meilleur reste à venir. - The best is yet to come.
Belated Birthday Cards
Even with the best of intentions, birthday cards can be late. Make your apologies in French.
- Je suis desolée (e) - I'm sorry. (Add the extra letter "e" if the sender is female.)
- Desolé pour le retard. - Sorry for being late.
Sing the Happy Birthday Song
Present your unique card along with a little song. Everyone knows the tune. The French sometimes sing "Happy Birthday" in English, or you can insert the expression "Joyeux anniversaire" and sing the same tune. Feel free to add a second verse asking the birthday child's age: "Quel âge as-tu?" The child will answer: J'ai . . . ans. (I'm . . . years old.) Listen to find out how to say numbers at the French Spanish Online website.
Celebrate Your French Name Day
Besides birthdays, the French also celebrate Name Days. Traditionally, many French people are named after Christian saints. Each date on the calendar is dedicated to a different saint. When it's your saint's day, it's your special day, too. Check out this link from the Meilleurs Prénoms website to see if you have a Name Day celebration. For Name Days, write the expression "Bonne Fête" on your greeting card.
Put a little French accent on your birthday and name day celebrations. Send a French greeting card.
Diane Farrug - Diane is a foreign language teacher and writer from the U.S. She has shared her love of the French language with students as young as 2 ...
