su gimtadieniu
Holiday Wishes with Su
To wish someone well on a special day, say su and put the occasion in the instrumental: Su gimtadieniu! (Happy birthday!), Su šventėmis! (Happy holidays!), Su Naujaisiais metais! (Happy New Year!).
How It Works
The pattern
Su + the occasion in the instrumental case. The full sentence is Sveikinu (tave) su gimtadieniu! (I wish you a happy birthday!), but people usually say only the short part.
Common occasions
- gimtadienis (birthday) → Su gimtadieniu!
- vardadienis (name day) → Su vardadieniu!
- jubiliejus (a round-number birthday or anniversary) → Su jubiliejumi!
- šventės (holidays) → Su šventėmis!
- Kalėdos (Christmas) → Su Kalėdomis!, and Velykos (Easter) → Su Velykomis!
- Naujieji metai (New Year) → Su Naujaisiais metais!
In these examples, singular words end in -u, -iu or -umi, and plural ones end in -omis, -ėmis or -ais. See With: Su and Plural Case Endings.
The New Year greeting
Naujieji metai is the name of a holiday, so the standard holiday name uses the definite adjective form: Naujaisiais. See Definite Adjectives.
Answering a wish
Return a holiday wish with Ačiū, ir tave su šventėmis! (Thanks, happy holidays to you too!), or ir jus for someone you call jūs.
Two related forms
- Wishes that start with an adjective use the genitive, because linkiu (I wish) is understood: Linksmų Kalėdų! (Merry Christmas!), Laimingų Naujųjų metų! (Happy New Year!).
- For formal written greetings, language advice recommends alternatives such as gimtadienio proga (on the occasion of your birthday): Sveikiname jubiliejaus proga!
Examples (6)
- Su gimtadieniu, Ona!
Happy birthday, Ona!
Word by Word: With birthday, Ona!
- Su vardadieniu, Jonai!
Happy name day, Jonas!
Word by Word: With name-day, Jonas!
Jonai is the form used to call Jonas.
- Su šventėmis!
Happy holidays!
Word by Word: With holidays!
Šventės is plural, so the instrumental ending is -ėmis.
- Su Naujaisiais metais!
Happy New Year!
Word by Word: With New years!
- Sveikinu tave su gimtadieniu!
I wish you a happy birthday!
Word by Word: I-congratulate you with birthday!
This is the full sentence behind the short greeting.
- Ačiū, ir jus su šventėmis!
Thank you, happy holidays to you too!
Word by Word: Thanks, and you with holidays!
Common Mistakes
Leaving the occasion in the dictionary form after su.
Su gimtadienis!Su gimtadieniu!Su always takes the instrumental, so gimtadienis changes to gimtadieniu.
Using a nominative plural for a plural holiday.
Su šventės!Su šventėmis!The instrumental plural of šventės is šventėmis. In the same way, Kalėdos becomes Kalėdomis.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The holiday greeting uses su with the occasion in the instrumental.
Related Patterns
- Plural Case Endings
Plural holidays such as šventės and Kalėdos need the plural instrumental endings -ėmis and -omis.
Level 2 - Definite Adjectives
Naujieji metai uses the long adjective form, so the greeting is Su Naujaisiais metais.
Level 3 - Vocative Address
A wish often names the person with the vocative, as in Su vardadieniu, Jonai!
Level 2 - ačiūThanking
Answering a wish starts with ačiū, as in Ačiū, ir tave su šventėmis!
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice su gimtadieniu in Bubblegum
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