Want to know how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Spanish? You’re in the right place.
It’s always nice to wish someone a happy birthday on their special day but why not do it in a language that means something to them.
As well as wishing your loved one a happy birthday in Spanish, why not also sing the Spanish version of the happy birthday song!
Read on to learn more about this.
Table of Contents
How To Say ‘Happy Birthday’ In Spanish
To wish someone a happy birthday in Spanish, you can say:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Happy birthday | Feliz cumpleaños |
‘Feliz cumpleaños’ is the most common way to say ‘happy birthday’ in Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Peru and many other Spanish speaking countries.
To hear the pronunciation of this phrase, check out the video below:
There is another more informal way you can say ‘happy birthday’:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Happy birthday | Feliz cumple |
‘Feliz cumple’ is a more colloquial, informal way to say ‘happy birthday’.
Spanish Birthday Wishes & Phrases
Alternatively, you can also use some of these phrases to wish someone a wonderful birthday:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Best wishes | Muchas felicidades |
| Happy belated birthday | Feliz cumpleaños atrasado |
| All the best | Que todo te vaya bien |
| Congratulations | Felicidades |
| Have a good time | Que lo pases bien |
| Enjoy your day | Que disfrutes tu dia |
| May all your wishes come true | Espero que todos tus deseos se cumplan |
| I wish you the best | Te deseo lo mejor |
| May you live many more years | Que cumplas muchos años más |
Birthday Vocabulary In Spanish
I’ve listed some handy Spanish birthday vocabulary below. These should come in handy if you’re celebrating a birthday!
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Birthday | Cumpleaños |
| Birthday party | Fiesta de cumpleaños |
| Cake | Pastel |
| Candles | Velas |
| Present/gift | Regalo |
| Balloons | Globos |
| Music | Música |
| Birthday card | Tarjeta de cumpleaños |
| Birthday boy | Cumpleañero |
| Birthday girl | Cumpleañera |
| Wishes | Deseos |
| Invitation | Invitación |
| Surprise | Sorpresa |
| To celebrate a birthday | Para celebrar un cumpleaños |
| Blow the candles out | Apaga las velas |
| Make a wish | Pide un deseo |
How To Sing Happy Birthday In Spanish
If you want to go the extra mile for your loved one or friend, try singing the happy birthday song in Spanish. You’ll be happy to know it’s the same tune as the English version, they just sing it in Spanish.
Check out the video below to hear the Spanish birthday song. I’ve listed the lyrics below so you can sing along.
Here’s the lyrics so you can sing along:
“Cumpleaños feliz!
Cumpleaños feliz!
Te deseamos todos!
Cumpleaños feliz!”
This translates to:
“Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
We all wish you!
Happy birthday!”
There are a few other versions of the song sung in different Spanish-speaking countries but this is the most popular and well-known one.
Spanish Birthday Traditions
Birthday traditions can be very important to many people on their birthdays. To make your loved one feel extra special you can also try some of these birthday traditions.
Birthday traditions in Spanish-speaking countries are very similar to those in English-speaking countries. People usually celebrate with a party, cake, candles and gifts.
As there are many different countries that speak Spanish, there are also many different traditions. Each country has their own traditions. Here are a few of my favourites from the Spanish-speaking world.
Quinceañera
In Latin America, girls usually have a big birthday party on their 15th birthday. This birthday party is called the quinceanera. This age holds significance as it’s seen as a girl’s coming of age.
For the boys, the big celebration usually comes on the 18th birthday.
Tres Leches
This is a Mexican birthday tradition. The ‘tres leches’ is a giant, multi-coloured cake that usually serves as the centre-piece at a Mexican birthday party.
The cake is usually decorated in a way that represents the birthday person so it may look like something the birthday girl/boy really likes.
Piñata
This well-known Spanish-tradition is super fun. The piñata is usually made from paper mache and is filled with sweets and small toys. The aim is to hit it with a stick until it bursts open. Everyone can then enjoy the gifts that fall out.
There is also a traditional song that you’re meant to sing whilst someone attempts to smash open the piñata. The song starts off with the lyric ‘dale, dale, dale’.
Check out the video below to hear the piñata song.
Cake Smash
Another fun Mexican tradition is tying the birthday person’s hands behind their back and smashing their face into the cake! This is so they can take the first bite of the birthday cake.
Partygoers will usually chant ‘¡Mordida!’ whilst they do this which means ‘bite’.
You Pay For Your Guests
In Spain it is actually customary for the birthday person to pay for everything on their birthday.
If the birthday girl/boy invites you out for a meal or drinks, don’t be surprised when they pay for everyone.
Thanks for reading this post on how to say ‘happy birthday’ in Spanish.
It’s a great idea to make the effort to learn how to say this in someone’s native language or a language that means something to them.
Your loved one or friend will be so impressed!
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