jarig

Jarig is a Dutch adjective meaning having a birthday or birthday-related. It is used to describe a person whose birthday is being celebrated or someone for whom the date is noteworthy because of age.

In everyday use, the phrase Iemand is jarig means that person has a birthday. Common sentences include "Vandaag ben ik jarig" (Today I am having a birthday) and "Hij is jarig vandaag" (He is having a birthday today). The expression "jarig zijn" is typically used with present tense to indicate the event is occurring on that day. For longer spans, speakers may say "iemand is binnenkort jarig" (someone will have a birthday soon).

As a noun, the related form de jarige refers to the birthday person. For example, "De jarige wordt 30" means "The birthday person turns 30." The noun is used in contexts such as announcements or celebrations.

Etymology and form: jarig comes from jaar, meaning year, with the suffix -ig forming an adjective. The sense is roughly “having completed a year,” i.e., having aged another year. The use is primarily tied to birthdays and age marking in Dutch.

Usage notes: Verjaardag is the more common noun for a birthday day or celebration, while jarig emphasizes the state of having a birthday on a given date. The term is widespread in both the Netherlands and Flanders and is part of everyday speech surrounding celebrations, cards, and parties.