When learning Spanish, one of the most frequent words is the one with which to congratulate the birthday “Feliz cumpleaños” (Happy Birthday in Spanish).
These are terms that present some changes compared to English; but they are not a problem for learning. From Escuela de Idiomas Nerja, a Spanish academy in Malaga, located in Nerja, Spain, we help you learn this basic vocabulary in our escuela de español.
Learn Spanish language is complicated due to flexible syntax and multiple ways of referring to a concept.
How do you say happy birthday in Spanish
Feliz cumpleaños– this is the literal translation of “happy birthday” in Spanish.
Feliz cumple – ccumpleis the colloquial way of saying cumpleaños in Spanish, so it should be used with close people in informal meetings
Felicidades – felicidades literally means congratulations, but is used as a substitute for “feliz cumpleaños”.
The word cumpleaños
The world cumpleaños is a compound word in Spanish, just as is the English word birthday.
The Spanish word cumpleaños is made up of the words cumple and años. Cumple is a form of the verb cumplir, for which the closest English translation is to turn as in, “I’m turning 24 this year”. Años means years.
When it comes to writing happy birthday, there is no variation on speech, so you can build a sentence without altering its meaning or grammar.
Also, when it comes to a formal greeting, just use its full form: feliz cumpleaños, since felicidades it’s too generic
The universal way to say “happy birthday” in Spanish is “feliz cumpleaños” — pronounced “feh-lees koom-pleh-ahn-yohs.” This phrase is widely understood among Spanish speakers, no matter where they are in the world.
The universal way to say “happy birthday” in Spanish is “feliz cumpleaños” — pronounced “feh-lees koom-pleh-ahn-yohs.” This phrase is widely understood among Spanish speakers, no matter where they are in the world.
So if you're aiming to say “happy birthday” in Spanish in a more informal and friendly way, feel free to use this instead. Felicidades – felicidades literally means congratulations, but is widely used as a substitute for “feliz cumpleaños”. It is a more emphatic and emotional way to say “happy birthday” in Spanish.
Here are some examples: “Have a fan-cake-tastic day!” “You're the icing on the cake of life – sweet and oh-so-special!” “Hope your birthday is a blast – just like you!”
The most common way to say "happy birthday" in Spanish is to say "feliz cumpleaños" (fay-LEEZ KOOM-play-ahn-yohs). There are a few other things you can also say to make your birthday wishes more special or personalized.
Another option is feliz vuelta al sol, meaning happy complete turn around the sun, which is a bit more poetic, but not as commonly used. You can also congratulate people on their birthday saying felicidades, or the more formal felicitaciones.
Use atentamente or cordialmente as a basic final greeting.
These Spanish final greetings are similar to "sincerely" or "sincerely yours" in English. You can also say muy atentamente, which means "very sincerely."
People gather together and sing Feliz Cumpleaños, the Spanish version of "Happy Birthday". As in the U.S., there is a tradition in Spain of giving presents and cards. However, the gifts in Spain tend to be more personal. It is the thought that counts.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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