When someone has a birthday or good news, you want to react warmly and quickly. Learners often translate directly and say "Congratulations for your birthday!" or "I wish you a happy birthday day". Others don't know how to answer when British people play down their own success with "Oh, it was nothing". In this episode: • Birthday wishes • Cards, presents and the party • Good news • British modesty • A birthday and some news • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: Happy birthday! — the standard wish (neutral) Have a lovely day! — enjoy your birthday (neutral) Hope you have a great day — a warm wish, often in a message (casual) How old are you now? — a friendly question, mainly to children How old are you going to be? — before the birthday (to children or close family) What are you doing for your birthday? — what are your plans? (casual) the big day — the birthday itself (casual) a milestone birthday — 18, 30, 40, 50 and so on a birthday card — a folded card with a message inside sign the card — write your name in it a present — a gift (neutral, very common) wrapping paper — the decorated paper around a present wrap a present — cover it with paper a birthday cake — the cake with candles blow out the candles — blow on the flames to put them out make a wish — think of something you hope for, silently a surprise party — a party the birthday person doesn't know about Don't tell her, it's a surprise! — keep it secret sing "Happy Birthday" — everyone sings to the birthday person balloons (buh-LOONZ) — rubber shapes filled with air Real British English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — modern British accent, everyday grammar, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang, he/she/it for things, and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.