Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cumpleaños | /kumpleˈaɲos/ /kumˈpljaɲos/ (dialectal) |
masculine |
| natalicio | /nataˈliθjo/ /nataˈlisjo/ |
masculine |
cumpleaños is used to refer to the anniversary of a person's birth. It can refer to the specific day of the birthday or the birthday party/celebration itself.
What does it mean word for word?
The word cumpleaños is a compound of the verb cumplir (to fulfill or complete) and años (years), literally meaning "fulfills years."
Which one should you use?
cumpleaños is the standard term for a person's birthday. In contrast, natalicio is a much more formal term used specifically for the birth anniversary of a historical figure or a person of great importance.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, it is common to express "happy birthday" as ¡Feliz cumple! In Spain, it is customary to say ¡Muchas felicidades! to convey birthday wishes.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cumpleaños is invariable in form. It remains the same in both singular and plural, though the article changes (el cumpleaños vs.)
How do you pronounce it?
/kumpleˈaɲos/
When do people say it?
When celebrating, ¡Feliz cumpleaños! is the standard translation for "Happy birthday!" You can also use felicidades to congratulate the person.
Did you know?
- In some cultures, the 'mordida' is a birthday custom where the guest of honor's face is pushed into the cake after the first bite.
- In some Latin American countries, a birthday celebration for a girl's 15th birthday, called a quinceañera, is a massive cultural milestone often more significant than an 18th or 21st birthday.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, it is a common custom to sing Las Mañanitas instead of or in addition to the standard 'Happy Birthday' song.
Examples in context
- No es mi cumpleaños.It's not my birthday.This sentence is useful for stating that it is not my birthday using cumpleaños.Tatoeba #3147753 by Shishir, translation #2713639 by CK
- ¿Hoy es tu cumpleaños?Is it your birthday today?This sentence is useful for asking if today is your birthday using cumpleaños.Tatoeba #3030920 by hayastan, translation #2644536 by CK
- ¿Es hoy su cumpleaños?Is it his birthday today?This sentence is useful for asking if today is his birthday using cumpleaños.Tatoeba #3870710 by Shishir, translation #9741480 by DJ_Saidez
- 321 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are chatting at the office.
- MateoMañana es mi cumpleaños.Tomorrow is my birthday.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! ¿Vas a hacer una fiesta?That's great! Are you going to have a party?
- MateoSí, celebraremos mi cumpleaños con amigos.Yes, we will celebrate my birthday with friends.
- LucíaMe encantaría ir, avísame la hora.I would love to go, let me know the time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “birthday” translations and entries cumpleaños, natalicio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
