LEARN JAPANESE WITH PIMSLEUR

Omedetou - How to say Congratulations in Japanese?

Nihongo

Per Kevin

Do you know the word omedetou? Would you like to know its real meaning? In this article, we're going to learn some interesting information about the famous Japanese word Omedetou (おめでとう) which primarily means congratulations.

Let's also see some curiosities, some synonyms and alternative words that you can use to congratulate someone. The perfect word to say happy birthday, congratulations on your marriage and many other phrases.

What does omedetou mean in Japanese?

The word Omedetou (お目出度う) literally means congratulations on a special occasion such as a birthday, wedding or promotion. The word is composed of the adjective medetai (目出度い) which means happy, auspicious, joyful and propitious.

The word is made up of the ideograms eye [目] exit [出] and occurrence [度]. This word is often accompanied by the famous expression gozaimasu (ございます) which makes the expression a little more formal. 

Ironically, the adjective medetai can also mean naive, innocent, foolish, humorous. There are Japanese sweets that are also called omedetou (御目出糖) and are made from glutinous rice and azuki beans.

Other strange ways of writing "Medetai" that are no longer used are [芽出度い] and [愛でたい]. Nowadays the word is written more in hiragana when it's an expression of congratulations (omedetou) and sometimes with kanji if it's used as an adjective.

Omedetou - congratulations in Japanese - meaning, curiosities and synonyms

How to use the word Congratulations in Japanese

Below we share some example sentences that can help you understand the use of the word omedetou:

  • 明けましておめでとう (Akemashite omedetou) - Happy New Year
  • 誕生日おめでとう (tanjoubi omedetou) - Happy Birthday
  • ご婚約おめでとうございます (Go kon'yaku omedetōgozaimasu) - Congratulations on your engagement
  • クリスマスおめでとう (kurisumasu omedetou) - I wish you a Merry Christmas
  • 優勝おめでとう (Yūshō omedetō) - Congratulations for the victory
  • ハローウィンおめでとう (Harōu~in omedetō) - Happy Halloween

Synonyms and alternatives to omedetou

Before we begin, I want to briefly mention the verb moushiageru (申し上げる), which means to express, declare, or extend and is often used after some words that we will study below.

  • 目出度し目出度し (medetashimedetashi) - And everyone lived happily ever after
  • お祝い(申し上げる) (oiwai (moushiageru)) - Congratulations, Celebration, Festival
  • おめでとうさん (omedetousan) - Congratulations (Kansai Dialect)
  • お喜び(申し上げる) (oyorokobi (moushiageru)) - express pleasure, happiness
  • 寿 (kotobuki) - Congratulations, best wishes, long life
  • 祝賀 (shukuga) - celebration, congratulations
  • 慶賀 (keiga) - Congratulation
  • Congratulations (コングラチュレーション) - From English congratulation
  • 慶弔 (keichuu) - celebratory and condolence Congratulations, condolences
  • やった! (yatta!) - Express Excitement!

Phrases using the word omedetou

Below we will see some phrases teaching how to say happy birthday, happy new year and other similar phrases in Japanese.

Happy Birthday (formal)

お誕生日おめでとうございます。
O-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu. 

Congratulations on the wedding!

ご結婚おめでとうございます。
Go-kekkon omedetou gozaimasu. (formal)

They congratulated the veterans on their promotion.

彼らは先輩に昇進おめでとうと言った。
Karera wa senpai ni shoushin omedetou to itta

Happy Thanksgiving!

感謝祭おめでとう。
kanshasai omedetou

Congratulations on Valentine's Day

バレンタインデーおめでとう
Barentaindē omedetō
Meaning and Definition: jibika
Meaning and Definition: kaigai