Pozdravlyayu Meaning: How to Say Congratulations in Russian
Pozdravlyayu is the Russian verb 'I congratulate', and in everyday speech it works exactly like the English 'congratulations'. You say it on its own as an exclamation, or add who and what for: 'Pozdravlyayu s dnyom rozhdeniya' means 'Happy birthday', literally 'I congratulate you on your birthday'. It is pronounced roughly pa-zdrav-LYA-yu, with the stress on the third syllable.
At Pyat Tsvetov, our Saint Petersburg flower shops, we have been writing gift cards since 2011, and pozdravlyayu is the single word customers from abroad ask about most. People want to know whether it fits a birthday, a wedding and a new baby, whether to use it with a grandmother or a boss, and how to write it on a card so it does not look odd. Here is what we tell them at the counter.
What pozdravlyayu means, word by word
The word comes from the root zdrav, the same root as zdorovye, 'health'. Historically, to congratulate someone was to wish them health, and that warm, slightly old-fashioned sense is still there. Pozdravlyayu is the first-person singular form, so it means 'I congratulate'; the speaker is always one person.
When a family, a couple or a team sends greetings together, the form changes to pozdravlyaem, 'we congratulate'. This matters on flower cards more than people expect. A card signed by a husband and wife or by colleagues reads naturally with pozdravlyaem, while pozdravlyayu signed by two names looks like a small grammar slip to a Russian reader.
The related noun is pozdravlenie, 'a congratulation' or 'greeting', and the plural pozdravleniya can stand alone on a card much like 'Congratulations!' in English. Russians also use the phrase 'primi moi pozdravleniya', 'accept my congratulations', in more formal or ceremonial situations.
Tebya or vas: choosing the right 'you'
Russian has two forms of 'you', and the choice shows on every card. Pozdravlyayu tebya is informal and is used with a partner, a friend, a sibling, a child or a parent. Pozdravlyayu vas is polite and is right for a teacher, a colleague, a boss, an older acquaintance, or several people at once. When writing to someone older than you whom you do not call by first name alone, vas is the safe choice.
In writing, many people capitalise the polite form as Vas when addressing one respected person, for example in a card to a teacher or a doctor. It is a small sign of respect that recipients of the older generation notice and appreciate. With close family it would look stiff, so keep the lowercase tebya there.
Often the pronoun is left out completely. 'Pozdravlyayu s yubileem!' is complete and natural, and it saves you from choosing between tebya and vas if you are unsure. On a short flower card this is frequently the most elegant option.
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Pozdravlyayu s...: the occasions and the grammar
The occasion follows the little word s ('with') and takes the instrumental case, which is why the endings change. The most common lines we write on cards are: s dnyom rozhdeniya (on your birthday), s yubileem (on your jubilee, for a round birthday such as 50 or 70), so svadboy (on your wedding), s rozhdeniem syna or s rozhdeniem dochki (on the birth of a son or daughter), s novosel'em (on your new home) and s okonchaniem universiteta (on your graduation).
For holidays, Russians often drop pozdravlyayu and say s prazdnikom, 'happy holiday', or name the day: s Novym godom (Happy New Year), s 8 Marta (for International Women's Day), s Dnyom uchitelya (Teachers' Day). With pozdravlyayu in front they sound a little more personal and formal, which suits a card to a mother-in-law or a teacher well.
Pozdravlyayu is also used for achievements, not only dates: a new job, a passed exam, a sports win, recovery after an illness. In speech it can be ironic, as in 'Pozdravlyayu, ty opyat' opozdal', 'Congratulations, you are late again', but on a card with flowers nobody will read it that way.
Ready-to-use card lines with pozdravlyayu
For a birthday: 'Pozdravlyayu s dnyom rozhdeniya! Zdorov'ya, schast'ya i tepla', meaning 'Happy birthday! Health, happiness and warmth'. For a mother or grandmother many customers add 'Lyublyu i skuchayu', 'I love you and miss you', which is short and always touching from someone living far away.
For a round birthday: 'Pozdravlyaem s yubileem! Ot vsey dushi zhelaem zdorov'ya i radosti', 'Happy jubilee! With all our hearts we wish you health and joy'. For a wedding: 'Pozdravlyayu so svadboy! Lyubvi i schast'ya vashey sem'e', 'Congratulations on your wedding! Love and happiness to your family'.
For a partner, pozdravlyayu can be paired with a tender form of address. Our articles on moy dorogoy and ty moyo vsyo explain two of the most popular ones. Keep the card to two or three lines: a short warm phrase in Russian is remembered longer than a long translated paragraph.
Etiquette: when to congratulate, and with which flowers
Customers abroad are often surprised that Russians avoid congratulating anyone on a birthday in advance. A greeting the day before is widely considered bad luck, so if you are unsure of delivery timing, aim for the day itself or slightly later rather than early. A late 'pozdravlyayu' is forgiven easily; an early one may make an older relative uneasy.
Flowers come with their own rule: an odd number of stems for any happy occasion. Even numbers are brought to funerals, and many people in Russia, especially of the older generation, still notice. In a large mixed bouquet nobody counts, but with roses or tulips it is worth checking; you can see the options in our bouquets catalogue.
For a round birthday choose something generous and long-lasting, such as roses, chrysanthemums or eustoma. For 8 March tulips and mimosa are traditional, and for a teacher on 1 September a bright mixed bouquet. Keep the vase away from radiators, which run hot in Russian homes for half the year, and change the water every couple of days.
Sending pozdravlyayu with flowers from abroad
We deliver flowers across Russia, and the card with your own text is free. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for suburbs and remote districts the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after confirmation, and in Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock, which helps when you want your congratulations to arrive at the very start of a birthday.
You can also choose an exact time (plus or minus 30 minutes), a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead, which is the easiest way not to miss a date. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. Delivery is anonymous by default, so sign the card if you want them to know the flowers came from you.
Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. Terms are on the delivery and payment page. If you are unsure about the wording of your card or the right form of address, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05 before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
What does pozdravlyayu mean in English?
It means 'I congratulate (you)' and is used like 'congratulations'. With s and an occasion it becomes a greeting, for example 'Pozdravlyayu s dnyom rozhdeniya', 'Happy birthday'.
How do you pronounce pozdravlyayu?
Say it roughly as pa-zdrav-LYA-yu, with the stress on the third syllable. The first o sounds close to a short 'a'.
What is the difference between pozdravlyayu and pozdravlyaem?
Pozdravlyayu means 'I congratulate' and is signed by one person. Pozdravlyaem means 'we congratulate' and suits a card from a couple, a family or colleagues.
Is it bad luck to say pozdravlyayu before a birthday?
Many Russians believe congratulating someone on a birthday in advance is bad luck. It is safer to time your greeting and flowers for the day itself.
Can I add a card with pozdravlyayu to a flower delivery?
Yes. A card with your own text is included free with every order, and delivery is anonymous unless you sign it.
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