It’s Father’s Day this Sunday! To celebrate the joyous occasion, we’re showing you how to say Happy Father’s Day in 11 different languages. Pick your favorite and surprise your dad!
Everything you need to know about Father’s Day
Father’s Day is a worldwide annual celebration of fatherhood. And, just like Mother’s Day, the occasion’s date and customs vary depending on the country.
So, before we get to how to say Happy Father’s Day in different languages, here’s a summary of everything you need to know about this international recognition of dads!
But first, remember that you can learn any of the languages in this list by downloading the Fluent Forever app. Additionally, you can supercharge your journey to fluency by working with your very own language coach with our Live Coaching program.
Lastly, don’t miss out on our Fastest Way To Learn a Language guide for the best, most efficient tips to reach fluency quickly.
What is Father’s Day?
Since the Middle Ages, Catholic countries in Europe have celebrated Father’s Day on March 19 as Saint Joseph’s Day – the earthly father figure to Jesus Christ. Later, the tradition was brought to the Americas by the Spanish and the Portuguese.
In the US, the first official Father’s Day happened on June 19, 1910. To this day, 86 countries around the world continue to commemorate this annual holiday on the third Sunday of June.
When is Father’s Day celebrated?
Depending on the country, Father’s Day celebrations take place on different dates. Countries including Spain, Portugal, and Italy do so on March 19 – the original Catholic date. On the other hand, the US, France, Japan, and most of Latin America stick to the third Sunday of June. Meanwhile, Arab countries like the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt use the fixed date of June 21.
Interestingly, Korea has no Father’s Day. Instead, the Asian country celebrates Parents’ Day to commemorate both heads of the family! In South Korea, this day is observed on May 8, while the fourth Sunday of July marks the date in the US.
How is Father’s Day celebrated?
In most countries, people usually give gifts to and write cards for their dads during Father’s Day. However, just like the occasion’s date varies per country, the specific traditions and costumes also change.
For example, Germany, which celebrates Vatertag (Father’s Day) on Ascension Day – usually in mid-May – considers it a national holiday. Throughout the day, fathers and all other men enjoy their day off work by heading to their favorite beer garden. In Thailand, Father’s Day celebrations are marked with flowers. Thai people will often honor their dads by gifting them canna flowers.
Regardless of the country, date, or tradition, the core emotion that encompasses the day is one of gratitude towards and recognition for fatherhood. So, without further ado, let’s see how people around the world wish a happy Father’s Day in different languages!
Expressions for Happy Father’s Day in 11 different languages
| Language | Father’s Day Phrase |
Spanish | ¡Felíz día del padre! [Feˈlis̬ ˈðia ðɛl ˈpaðɾe] (Latin American Spanish) [Feˈlið ˈðia ðɛl ˈpaðɾe] (European Spanish) |
| Chinese | 祝你父亲节快乐! [Zhù nǐ fùq īn jié kuài lè] |
| French | Bonne fête des pères! [Bɔn fɛt de pɛʁ] |
| Hebrew | יום אב שמח (Yom av same’akh) |
| Russian | С днем отца! [z‿ ˈdnʲɵm ɐˈt͡sːa] (S dnem ottsa) Счастливого дня отца!* ɕːɪˈslʲivəvə ˈdnʲa ɐˈt͡sːa (Schastlivogo dnya ottsa) *This is a more emotionally expressive version of Happy Father’s Day in Russian |
| Japanese | 父の日おめでとう (Chichi no hi omedeto) |
| German | Alles gute zum Vatertag! [ˈaləs ˈɡuːtə ˈtsʊm] |
| Portuguese | Feliz dia dos pais! [Feˈliʒ ˈdʒiɐ ˈdɔʃ ˈpajʃ] |
| Italian | Buona festa del papà! [ˈbwɔna ˈfɛsta ˈdel paˈpa] |
| Dutch | Fine vaderdag! [ fɛi̯nə ˈvadərˌdɑx ] |
| Korean | 어버이날 잘 보내세요 (eobeoinal jal bonaeseyo)** **This is how you say Happy Parents’ Day in the language |
And there you have it: 11 ways to say Happy Father’s Day in different languages!
Don’t forget that you can learn these and other handy phrases in any of the 11 languages once you download the Fluent Forever app on your phone. Happy feast to all the dads, parents, and guardians out there!
