More than congratulations (congratulazioni) in Italy, people give auguri, or well wishes. In other words, it’s a way to wish someone well in the future, or a way to say ‘all the best.’ You use it to wish someone a happy birthday (in addition to the less used, buon compleanno). You can also say it to someone who recently graduated, got married, or completed some difficult task.
Examples:
‘Auguri di buon anno!’ – Happy new year!
‘E’ il tuo compleanno, Pietro?! Auguri!’ – Peter, it’s your birthday?! Best wishes!
‘Auguri!’ – Mazal tov!
Auguri is actually the plural form of the masculine noun, augurio. Augurio is a wish, or a hope expressed which can be positive or negative for one’s future. Therefore, it can also mean a bad omen, or an ill wish directed toward someone. However, when spoken in the plural, auguri is used for auspicious occasions.
Augurio stems from the Latin, augurium - the foreseeing, or the divination of the future through song, or through the flight of birds (for the Romans).
Side-note: Wishing someone auguri for his/her birthday before the actual day, or before an exam is quite unappreciated, and considered superstitiously bad luck.
Interesting post about the word auguri. I always thought it was congratulatory, and it wouldn’t be considered bad luck….but I guess it’s kinda like counting your chickens before they get hatched so it makes sense.
Yea I totally thought it just meant ‘congratulations.’ Tricky tricky Italian!