German Phrase
Meine Frau hat heute Geburtstag.
Meaning
Literally, ‘My wife has a birthday today.’ In German the verb ‘haben’ is used to talk about birthdays, so the sentence simply announces that today is the day your wife was born.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to tell a friend, colleague, or family member that today is your wife's birthday, for example before sending a greeting or making plans for a celebration.
✦Grammar Breakdown
MeineFrauhatheuteGeburtstag.
Possessive Determiner
‘Meine’ shows ownership and agrees in gender and case with the noun ‘Frau’ (feminine, nominative).
Noun (Frau)
‘Frau’ means ‘wife’ or ‘woman’; here it refers to ‘my wife’.
Verb ‘haben’ (hat)
‘hat’ is the 3rd‑person singular present of ‘haben’ and is used idiomatically to express having a birthday.
Adverb ‘heute’
‘heute’ means ‘today’ and modifies the whole clause.
Noun ‘Geburtstag’
‘Geburtstag’ means ‘birthday’; it is used without an article after ‘haben’.
🗨In Conversation
Meine Frau hat heute Geburtstag.
My wife has a birthday today.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Wie feierst du das?
Congratulations! How are you celebrating?
✕Common Mistakes
Meine Frau ist heute Geburtstag.
‘sein’ is not used for birthdays; the correct verb is ‘haben’.
Meine Frau hat heute den Geburtstag.
After ‘haben’ the noun ‘Geburtstag’ is used without an article.
Mein Frau hat heute Geburtstag.
Possessive determiners must match gender; ‘mein’ is masculine, the correct form is ‘meine’.
↔Alternatives
Heute ist der Geburtstag meiner Frau.
Today is my wife's birthday.
Meine Frau feiert heute ihren Geburtstag.
My wife is celebrating her birthday today.
Heute hat meine Frau Geburtstag.
Today my wife has a birthday.
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries birthdays are often celebrated with a cake (Geburtstagskuchen) and the phrase ‘Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!’ or ‘Herzlichen Glückwunsch!’ is used. It’s common to give a small gift or flowers, and many people host a small gathering with family and friends. When speaking to someone you don’t know well, keep the tone polite and avoid overly intimate remarks about the celebration.