Most Spanish speaking people are rather lively and love to celebrate. And what’s a better occasion to celebrate than a birthday? So, dress up nicely, put on your party hat, get the birthday cake on the table and join me on today’s quest to answer the question: How do you say Happy Birthday in Spanish?
Table of Contents
- Feliz Cumpleaños – Birthday Wishes in Spanish
- Best Wishes in Spanish
- Birthday Smalltalk in Spanish
- Birthday Items in Spanish
- Birthday Piñatas
- How to sing Happy Birthday in Spanish
Feliz Cumpleaños – Birthday Wishes in Spanish
When a friend or family member celebrates his or her birthday, it is customary to wish him or her a happy birthday. And of course, Spanish-speaking countries are no exception to this rule.
And if the birthday boy or girl is Spanish-speaking, what would be better than wishing them all the best in Spanish? So let’s take a look at the various ways how to say happy birthday in Spanish.
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños! — Happy Birthday!
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños a ti! — Happy Birthday to you!
- Felicidades — Congratulations
- Que cumplas muchos más — Here’s to many more birthdays
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, te deseo todo lo bueno, mucha suerte y buena salud! ¡Qué lo celebres bien y disfrutes el día! — Happy birthday, I wish you all the best, good luck and good health! May you celebrate well and enjoy the day.
- Te deseo todo lo bueno por tu día de cumpleaños! ¡ Qué lo celebres bien y disfrutes el día! — I wish you all the best for your birthday, celebrate well and enjoy the day!
- ¡Qué tengas un feliz día de cumpleaños! — Have a happy birthday
- ¡Te deseamos todos cumpleaños feliz! — We all wish you a happy birthday!
- Me sumo al saludo general para desearte un feliz cumple — I join the general greeting to wish you a happy birthday.
- ¡Os deseo un feliz cumpleaños! — I wish you a happy birthday!
- ¡Todo lo mejor para tu cumpleaños! — All the best for your birthday!
- Felicitaciones en tu cumpleaños. — Congratulations on your birthday.
Best Wishes in Spanish
- Toda la felicidad del mundo — All the luck in the world
- Te deseo todo lo mejor — I wish you all the best
- ¡Todo lo mejor! — All the best!
- Que tengas un buen día — Have a great day
- Que dios te bendiga — God bless you
- Un dia feliz para ti — A happy day to you
- Que los años no te hagan más viejo, sino más sabio — May the years not make you older, but wiser
Birthday Smalltalk in Spanish
When I was a kid, my mum often asked me to say happy birthday to some relative on the phone. And I usually only said, “Happy birthday, auntie!” And then I was done with the conversation, which most of my relatives found a little peculiar.
I wouldn’t exactly say I’m a master of smalltalk nowadays but at least my skills improved a little since my childhood (some of my relatives might disagree). Anyhow, in order to spare you from the fate of being regarded as odd, here are some phrases you can use to keep the conversation going.
- ¡Feliz Cumpleaños, amigo mío! ¿Cuántos años tienes? — Happy birthday, my friend! How old are you now?
- ¡Feliz Cumpleaños a ti! ¡Y que cumplas muchos más! — Happy birthday to you! And many more happy returns!
- ¿Qué quieres para tu cumpleaños? — What do you want for your birthday?
- ¿Qué te han regalado? — What did you receive as a gift?
- ¿Vas a salir esta noche o te vas a quedar en casa? — Are you going out tonight or are you staying in?
- ¿Cuándo es la fiesta? — At what time is the party?
- ¿Quién viene esta noche? — Who is coming tonight?
- ¿Tenemos que llevar algo de comer o de beber? — Shall we bring something to eat or drink?
- ¡Hasta pronto! — See you later!
Birthday Items in Spanish
Apart from our best wishes there are many things we associate with a birthday. So let’s take a look at the usual birthday paraphernalia like cake, candles, presents and and how they are called in Spanish.
- El cumpleaños — the birthday
- La fiesta de cumpleaños — the birthday party
- Celebrar una fiesta de cumpleaños — to celebrate a birthday party
- Celebrar el cumpleaños — birthday celebrations
- La tarjeta de cumpleaños — the birthday card
- La invitación — the invitation
- Los invitados — the guests
- El regalo- the present, the gift
- Desenvolver regalos — unwrapping the presents
- La vela — the candle
- Soplar las velas — to blow out the candles
- La bengala — the sparkler
- La guirnalda — the garland
- El globo — the balloon
- El pastel — the cake
- La tarta — cream cake or gateau
- Las magdalenas — the cupcakes
- Brindar — to cheer
Birthday Piñatas
A special item which is almost mandatory at children’s birthday parties in Mexico and Central America is the so-called piñata.
Piñatas are colorful figures, usually made of papier-mâché, that are filled with candy and sweet fruits.
The piñata usually hangs on a rope above the children’s heads and can only be reached with a stick. One child at a time is blindfolded and tries to hit the piñata with the stick, breaking it open. In the meantime, the other children sing a song.
When the song is over, the next child gets to try his or her luck. If the piñata breaks, the surprises hidden inside fall out and all the children get to pick up as many as they can catch.
Another variation is to hang the piñata so that it can be pulled up and down to make the game even more exciting and fun.
How to sing Happy Birthday in Spanish
The usual “Happy Birthday” song is very popular in Spanish speaking countries as well. There are many different variations of the lyrics depending on the country.
Here’s the lyrics of a Spanish version which works very well with the melody of the song.
Cumpleaños Feliz Lyrics
Cumpleaños feliz,
Cumpleaños feliz,
Te deseamos todos,
Cumpleaños feliz!
Un dia feliz para ti,
Un dia feliz para mi,
Cuando llegaste al mundo
Haciéndonos sonreír.
Cumpleaños feliz,
Cumpleaños feliz,
Te deseamos todos,
Cumpleaños feliz!
Cumpleaños feliz,
Muchos regalos a ti,
Muchos abrazos y besos,
Cumpleaños feliz!
Cumpleaños feliz,
Cumpleaños feliz,
Te deseamos a ti,
Y que seas feliz!
Here’s a video with the lyrics faded in simultaneously with the singing. The MIDI keyboard isn’t great, but the song is performed rather slow so it’s easier to pick up the lyrics and sing along.
If you would like more birthday songs in Spanish to choose from, here’s a video with three songs to say happy birthday in Spanish. Including a Spanish version of “For he’s a jolly good fellow.” Performed by a very sympathetic looking Spanish family with two sweet little children.
Now you should have enough knowledge how to say happy bday in Spanish. And, just in case it’s your special day today: ¡Feliz cumpleaños a ti!
