All words ›Sheng ri kuai le
PhraseHow to pronounce “Sheng ri kuai le” (happy birthday)
生日快乐shēng rì kuài lè
Literally: birth day happy.
❌ What English speakers usually say
“sheng ree kwai lee”, with an ee in the second syllable
✅ What to say instead
shung RR kwye luh — the r syllable has no vowel you would recognise, just a voiced buzz
The shape of the word
Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.
Syllable by syllable
| Syllable | Tone | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 生 shēng | First tone — high and flat | sheng — open drill → |
| 日 rì | Fourth tone — sharp fall | ri — open drill → |
| 快 kuài | Fourth tone — sharp fall | kuai — open drill → |
| 乐 lè | Fourth tone — sharp fall | le — open drill → |
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Sheng ri kuai le?
Sheng ri kuai le is 生日快乐, shēng rì kuài lè — shung RR kwye luh — the r syllable has no vowel you would recognise, just a voiced buzz. Literally it means birth day happy.
What is the most common mistake with Sheng ri kuai le?
“sheng ree kwai lee”, with an ee in the second syllable
More words people mispronounce
Can you actually say it?
Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.