How to say “happy birthday” in Spanish
¡Feliz cumpleaños!
Pronunciation: feh-LEES koom-pleh-AH-nyohs · Syllables: fe-LIZ cum-ple-A-ños
"Happy birthday" in Spanish is "¡Feliz cumpleaños!" (feh-LEES koom-pleh-AH-nyohs). It works everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world and in any situation, from friends to coworkers. Among friends you'll also hear the shorter "¡Feliz cumple!", and "¡Felicidades!" is very common, especially in Spain.
How to pronounce “¡Feliz cumpleaños!”
- The ñ in 'años' sounds like the 'ny' in 'canyon', so say AH-nyohs, never AH-nohs.
- In Latin America, the z in 'feliz' sounds like an English s (feh-LEES), while most of Spain says it like 'th' (feh-LEETH).
- The u in 'cumple' is a short, pure 'oo' as in 'moon' (koom), and the stress falls on the 'a' of 'años'.
What it literally means
"Cumpleaños" joins "cumple" (from "cumplir", to complete or reach) and "años" (years), so a birthday is literally the day you "complete years." "Feliz" comes from the Latin "felix" (happy, lucky), the same root as the English words "felicity" and "Felix."
Other ways to say it, from casual to formal
- ¡Feliz cumple!Happy bday! · friends, family, textsCasual
- ¡Que te la pases muy bien!Have a great time! · wishing a friend a fun day (Latin America)Casual
- ¡Felicidades!Congratulations! / Best wishes! · any birthday greeting, very common in SpainNeutral
- ¡Muchas felicidades!Many happy returns! / Warmest wishes! · a warmer, slightly fuller greetingNeutral
- ¡Que cumplas muchos más!Many more to come! · added after 'feliz cumpleaños'Neutral
- ¡Que tengas un feliz día!Have a happy day! · cards and messagesNeutral
- Le deseo un muy feliz cumpleaños.I wish you a very happy birthday. · boss, client, older person (usted)Formal
By country
- ¡Felicidades!Spain · Often the default birthday greeting, even more than 'feliz cumpleaños'. Spaniards sing 'Cumpleaños feliz'.
- ¡Que te la pases bonito!Mexico · A warm Mexican wish meaning 'have a lovely day.' Birthdays often start with the song 'Las Mañanitas.'
- ¡Que los cumplas feliz!Argentina / Uruguay · Literally 'may you turn them (the years) happily.' It's also the first line of the local birthday song.
- ¡Feliz cumple, mi pana!Venezuela · 'Pana' means buddy. The traditional song starts 'Ay, qué noche tan preciosa.'
In text messages
feliz cumple!! = happy bday!!q cumplas muchos más = many more to come (q = que)HBD = happy birthday (borrowed from English, used by younger people)felicidades!!! = congrats!!! / happy birthday!!!
Example sentences
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, mamá! Te quiero mucho.Happy birthday, Mom! I love you so much.
- Hoy es el cumpleaños de mi hermano.Today is my brother's birthday.
- ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?When is your birthday?
- Mi cumpleaños es el 15 de marzo.My birthday is March 15th.
- Vamos a hacer una fiesta para el cumple de Ana.We're going to throw a party for Ana's birthday.
- Se me olvidó felicitarlo, pero le mandé un mensaje al día siguiente.I forgot to wish him a happy birthday, but I sent him a message the next day.
Mini dialogue: A friend's birthday at work
¡Laura! ¡Feliz cumpleaños!
Laura! Happy birthday!
¡Ay, gracias! ¿Cómo te acordaste?
Oh, thanks! How did you remember?
Lo vi en el calendario de la oficina. ¿Cuántos cumples?
I saw it on the office calendar. How old are you turning?
Treinta. ¡No lo puedo creer!
Thirty. I can't believe it!
¡Que cumplas muchos más! Te traje un pastelito.
Many more to come! I brought you a little cake.
¡Qué linda! Muchísimas gracias.
That's so sweet of you! Thank you so much.
How to reply
- ¡Gracias!Thanks!
- ¡Muchas gracias por acordarte!Thanks so much for remembering!
- ¡Ay, qué lindo! Gracias.Aw, that's so sweet! Thank you.
- Gracias, ¡igualmente cuando te toque!Thanks, same to you when it's your turn!
Grammar: Wishes with "que" + subjunctive
To add a wish after "¡Feliz cumpleaños!", Spanish uses "que" + a verb in the present subjunctive. It means "may you…" or "I hope you…". For "tú", most -ar verbs end in -es and most -er/-ir verbs end in -as.
- ¡Que cumplas muchos más!May you have many more (birthdays)!
- ¡Que pases un día increíble!I hope you have an amazing day!
Common mistakes
✗ ¡Feliz cumpleaño!✓ ¡Feliz cumpleaños!
The word always ends in -s, even for one birthday: el cumpleaños.
✗ ¡Feliz cumpleaños a tú!✓ ¡Feliz cumpleaños a ti!
After a preposition like 'a', Spanish uses 'ti', not 'tú'.
✗ Feliz cumpleanos✓ Feliz cumpleaños
Without the ñ, 'años' (years) turns into a very different and embarrassing word.
Culture tip
Spanish speakers usually say "¡Feliz cumpleaños!" with a hug or a kiss on the cheek, and they often call or send a voice message early in the day. In Mexico, a classic tradition is to give the birthday person a playful push so their face lands in the cake ("¡Que le muerda!"). Expect a group song, warm messages from extended family, and lots of "¡Felicidades!" all day long.
Questions people ask
How do you say happy birthday formally in Spanish?
Use "Le deseo un muy feliz cumpleaños" (I wish you a very happy birthday) with "usted" for a boss, client or older person. A simple "¡Feliz cumpleaños!" is also polite enough in almost any setting.
Is it cumpleaños or cumpleano?
It's always "cumpleaños", with an ñ and a final s, even when you mean just one birthday. Without the ñ, "anos" means something rude, so if your keyboard lacks ñ, write "cumple" instead.
What's the difference between felicidades and felicitaciones?
Both mean "congratulations." "Felicidades" is the one used for birthdays everywhere. "Felicitaciones" is more common in Latin America for achievements like a new job or graduation.
What is the happy birthday song in Spanish?
It depends on the country. Many places sing "Cumpleaños feliz" to the English tune, Argentina sings "Que los cumplas feliz", and Mexico is famous for "Las Mañanitas."
