születésnapot

Születésnap is the Hungarian word for birthday. The accusative form születésnapot is used when the birthday is the object of a sentence, for example in phrases like “születésnapot ünnepelünk.” The term is a compound of születés (birth) and nap (day), literally meaning the day of birth or the anniversary of a person’s birth.

In Hungarian culture, birthdays are commonly celebrated with gatherings of family and friends, a cake with candles, and the song Boldog születésnapot (often alongside Isten éltessen). The number of candles may reflect the person’s age or be symbolic, and gifts are frequently exchanged. Parties for children are common and may include games; celebrations for adults vary by personal preference and social context.

Birthdays recur annually on the same calendar date as the person’s birth. While születésnap is the general term, születésnapot serves as the grammatical form when the birthday is the object in a sentence. Additionally, Hungary recognizes a separate tradition called névnap, or name day, which is celebrated on a specific date associated with a given name, though it is distinct from a birthday.