20 Supportive Ways of Saying Congratulations in German

Celebrating one another’s accomplishments can be one of the best ways of supporting people we care about

In Germany, this is easily done, as there are so many ways of saying congratulations in German, depending on the event, and the situation. What a supportive language!

The most common way of wishing someone congratulations in German is “Herzlichen Glückwunsch”. But if you’re a beginner and that’s too much of a mouthful, there are plenty of other ways of saying it.

We’ll show you twenty ways of saying “congratulations” in German for every occasion imaginable, from formal to informal.

Read on to explore the possibilities and stay until the end to find out what else you need to consider in a “Feier” (celebration) in Germany.

Congratulations in German at a Glance

General Congratulations in German

Here we have compiled a comprehensive list of the most common ways of saying congratulations. You can use them in a variety of situations in formal and informal contexts.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch!

Herzlichen Glückwunsch! might be the expression that’s the most difficult to pronounce, but it’s the one that’s the most widely used.

You can even buy cards that have “Herzlichen Glückwunsch” printed on them! You can use it whenever you want to say “Congratulations”.

Alles Gute!

The phrase Alles Gute! can both mean “Congratulations” or “I wish you all the best”.

You can Alles Gute! for birthdays but it can also be used to wish someone for a good outcome. For example, you can say it before someone takes an important exam or has a job interview.

Not to be confused with alles Gut?, which is a way to say how are you in German.

Alles Liebe!

The German phrase Alles Liebe! is quite similar to Alles Gute! but more personal and informal.

You use Alles Liebe with family or close friends. 

Gratulation!

You might have guessed it — Gratulation! means “Congrats!” in German and is a quick and informal way to congratulate someone. 

Ich gratuliere!

Related to Gratulation (above), ich gratuliere is similar but more formal. It is most often used to congratulate someone in writing.

Ich wünsche dir alles Gute!

The phrase Ich wünsche dir alles Gute! translates to “best wishes” in German and similar to “Alles Gute” it can be used to congratulate or to wish someone the best for a future event. It is also primarily used in writing. 

Ich freue mich sehr für dich!

The German phrase Ich freue mich sehr für dich! is a heartfelt and personal way to say “I am very happy for you!”

It is definitely one of my personal favorites. It conveys genuine care about the person you are addressing.

Congratulations at a marriage/engagement/anniversary

Good etiquette is part of more formal events such as marriages, engagements and anniversaries and you want to be prepared to say the right thing on these occasions. Read on to find out what to say.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zu deiner/ Ihrer/Eurer Verlobung/!

You can’t go wrong with the phrase Herzlichen Glückwunsch zu deiner / Ihrer / Eurer Verlobung/! if you want to express your best wishes for an engagement.

The pronouns vary depending on your relationship with the person or people in question.

• “Deiner” expresses an informal relationship
• “Ihrer” a formal relationship and
• “Eurer” an informal relationship in which you address both people in the couple.

Has someone wished you congratulations? Learn how to say thank you in German.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Jahrestag!

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Jahrestag! means “Best wishes for your anniversary”!

You can add the number before “Jahrestag” to indicate which anniversary is being celebrated, it can be said in person or written on a card. 

Wir wünschen euch alles Gute zur Hochzeit!

The phrase Wir wünschen euch alles Gute zur Hochzeit! means “We wish you all the best on your wedding!”.

This is a great phrase to use if you want to congratulate the newlyweds as a group or as more than one person.

Congratulations for a birthday

Germans have adopted parts of the English language into their vocabulary and it is not uncommon to hear people sing “Happy Birthday” in English or write “Happy Birthday” on a card.

Read on to learn about uniquely German ways to say “Happy Birthday”.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag!

This is the most common way of wishing someone a happy birthday in German. Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag! is the go-to expression for birthday wishes.

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!

This is an alternative way of wishing someone a happy birthday in German. It’s quite common, and a lot easier to say! Try saying Alles Gute zum Geburtstag if you find the above “happy birthday” expression too much of a mouthful.

It’s a 1-1 alternative that you can use in any context.

Congratulations for success in school or at work

Whether you ace your finals, celebrate graduation or get a promotion, saying “congratulations” for success in school or at work is slightly different than in other circumstances. Check out the following examples:

Gratulation zur Beförderung!

You can say Gratulation zur Beförderung to congratulate someone on their promotion in German. You can use this at work or with friends and family.

Ich gratuliere zum neuen Arbeitsplatz

You can use the phrase Ich gratuliere zum neuen Arbeitsplatz to congratulate someone on their new job in German.

Germans use the word English loan word “job” quite frequently, so you can substitute “Arbeitsplatz” with “job” if you want to. 

Alles Gute zur Pensionierung! / zum Ruhestand!

The specific phrase Alles Gute zur Pensionierung! / zum Ruhestand! is something you can use to wish someone the best for their retirement.

Retirement parties aren’t common in German-speaking countries, but a card will always be appreciated!

Glückwunsch zum Abschluss!

The German phrase Glückwunsch zum Abschluss! is a versatile expression that can be used to congratulate someone for graduating from high school, college or university. 

Glückwünsche zur bestandenen Prüfung!

The phrase Glückwünsche zur bestandenen Prüfung! can be used to congratulate someone for passing an exam, whether that’s in school or any other situation.

Congratulations for holidays

Some holidays are widely celebrated in most German countries while others carry less importance. Read on to find out how to address someone during the holidays and wish them the best. 

German	English
Frohe Ostern!	Happy Easter!
Froehliche Weihnachten!	Merry Christmas!
Gutes Neues Jahr!	Happy new year!

Final Thoughts

Now that you are armed with a variety of expressions to say “Congratulations”, let’s find out what else needs to be considered.

If you don’t know the person very well it is not necessary to congratulate them in person or to call, you can always send a card, an email or even a text.

Germans aren’t too formal when it comes to the act of congratulating. If you congratulate someone for a job well done or a challenge overcome in person it is common to bring flowers or chocolate in Germany.