Celebrating birthdays is a universal tradition, and knowing how to say “Happy Birthday” in Spanish can make your wishes even more special if you have Spanish-speaking friends or family. In this guide, we’ll explore various ways to wish someone a happy birthday in Spanish, including formal and informal expressions, phrases for different contexts, and how to sing the birthday song.
Basic Birthday Wishes
Formal
- Feliz cumpleaños – Happy Birthday
- A standard and polite way to wish someone well on their birthday.
- Felicidades – Congratulations
- Often used for significant milestones and achievements, including birthdays.
- Felicitaciones – Congratulations
- Another formal way to express well-wishes on a birthday.
Informal
- Feliz cumple – Happy Birthday (shortened version)
- A casual and friendly way to say happy birthday, often used among friends.
- Feliz vuelta al sol – Happy turn around the sun (more poetic)
- A creative way to wish someone well, reflecting the passage of another year.
- Felicidades – Congratulations (can also be used informally)
- Suitable for close friends and family.
Additional Birthday Wishes
To add a personal touch to your birthday wishes, you can use these expressions:
Formal
- Espero que este cumpleaños esté lleno de sorpresas gratas y le deseo lo mejor en el próximo año.
I hope that your birthday is full of pleasant surprises and I wish you the best in the upcoming year. - Le deseo un muy feliz cumpleaños y mucho éxito en todos los ámbitos este siguiente año.
I wish you a very happy birthday and all the success in every endeavor this upcoming year.
Informal
- ¡Que tengas un cumpleaños maravilloso!
Hope you have a wonderful birthday! - ¡Diviértete mucho y festeja al máximo!
Have tons of fun and celebrate to the max!
Happy Belated Birthday
If you missed the birthday, here’s how to wish a belated happy birthday in Spanish:
- Feliz cumpleaños atrasado – Happy belated birthday
- Perdón por el retraso, ¡pero feliz cumpleaños! – Sorry for the delay, but happy birthday!
Common Birthday Phrases
Here are some useful questions and phrases related to birthdays:
Formal
- ¿Cuándo es su cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?
- ¿Qué desea para su cumpleaños? – What do you want for your birthday?
Informal
- ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?
- ¿Qué quieres para tu cumpleaños? – What do you want for your birthday?
Understanding “Cumpleaños”
In Spanish, “cumpleaños” means “birthday” and is formed from cumple, from the verb cumplir (to fulfill or complete), and años (years). So, “cumpleaños” refers to the day you “turn a year.”
Singing the Happy Birthday Song in Spanish
The Happy Birthday song is a key part of birthday celebrations. Here are some versions of the song:
First Version
- “¡Cumpleaños feliz, te deseamos a ti! ¡Feliz cumpleaños (nombre)! ¡Cumpleaños feliz!”
“A happy birthday we wish to you! Happy birthday, (name)! Happy birthday!”
Second Version
- “Que los cumplas feliz. Que los cumplas feliz. Que los cumplas, (nombre). Que los cumplas feliz.”
“May you have a happy birthday. May you have a happy birthday. May you have a happy birthday, (name). May you have a happy birthday.”
Third Version
- “¡Cumpleaños feliz! ¡Cumpleaños feliz! ¡Te deseamos todos cumpleaños feliz!”
“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! We all wish happy birthday to you!”
Traditional Mexican Song: Las Mañanitas
- “Estas son las mañanitas que cantaba el Rey David…”
“These are the mañanitas that King David sang…”
Writing a Birthday Card in Spanish
If you’re writing a birthday card, here are some tips:
Formal
- Opening: Estimado (Dear)
- Body: Espero que este cumpleaños esté lleno de sorpresas gratas…
(I hope that your birthday is full of pleasant surprises…) - Closing: Atentamente (Respectfully)
Informal
- Opening: Querido (Dear)
- Body: ¡Diviértete mucho y festeja al máximo!
(Have tons of fun and celebrate to the max!) - Closing: Un beso (Kisses)
Common Questions About Birthdays
Formal
- ¿Cuándo es su cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?
- ¿Qué desea para su cumpleaños? – What do you want for your birthday?
Informal
- ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?
- ¿Qué vas a hacer en tu cumpleaños? – What are you going to do on your birthday?
Spanish Birthday Vocabulary
Expand your birthday vocabulary with these useful words:
- La fiesta de cumpleaños – Birthday party
- El pastel – Cake
- Las velas – Candles
- Los regalos – Presents
- La decoración – Decoration
- El invitado – Guest
- La celebración – Celebration
Birthday Traditions in Spanish-Speaking Countries
Piñata
A fun tradition where a decorated figure filled with candy is broken, and guests collect the candy.
Ear Tugs
In Spain, it’s common to pull the birthday person’s ears, one for each year plus one for luck.
Mordida
In some Latin American countries, the birthday cake is shoved into the birthday person’s face.
Quinceañera
A special celebration for a girl’s 15th birthday, marking the transition from childhood to womanhood.
Additional Fun Phrases
For a more playful touch, you can use these phrases:
- ¡Que vivas muchos más! – May you live many more!
A fun way to wish someone many more years of life. - ¡Que tengas un año increíble! – Have an amazing year!
A positive wish for the year ahead. - ¡Que tu día esté lleno de alegría y risas! – May your day be filled with joy and laughter!
A cheerful way to hope that their birthday is full of happiness. - ¡Que todos tus sueños se hagan realidad! – May all your dreams come true!
A wish for success and fulfillment of their dreams in the coming year. - ¡Feliz cumpleaños y que nunca te falte el humor! – Happy birthday and may you never lack humor!
A light-hearted wish to keep a sense of humor and joy throughout the year. - ¡Que tengas un día tan fantástico como tú! – May you have a day as fantastic as you are!
A compliment mixed with birthday wishes, emphasizing the recipient’s greatness. - ¡Espero que este año sea aún mejor que el anterior! – I hope this year is even better than the last!
A hopeful wish for an even more wonderful year than the previous one. - ¡Que cada día esté lleno de nuevas sorpresas! – May each day be full of new surprises!
A playful wish for daily excitement and joy. - ¡Que la diversión no termine hoy y se extienda todo el año! – May the fun not end today and extend throughout the year!
A wish for continuous joy and celebration beyond just their birthday. - ¡Que tu sonrisa ilumine el mundo durante todo el año! – May your smile light up the world throughout the year!
A wish for the recipient’s positivity to spread and brighten others’ lives.
Conclusion
By mastering these birthday phrases and traditions, you’ll be well-prepared to celebrate birthdays in Spanish-speaking cultures. From formal greetings to informal wishes and traditional songs, you’ll make every birthday special. ¡Feliz cumpleaños!
