Feliz cumpleaños, hermosa
The English phrase 'happy birthday, beautiful' translates to Spanish as Feliz cumpleaños, hermosa.
The word hermosa means beautiful, while the related word preciosa means precious.
Which one should you use?
You can use linda instead of hermosa to mean 'pretty' or 'lovely', which is slightly less intense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form Feliz cumpleaños, hermosa uses the feminine adjective to match a female recipient. If you are addressing a male, the adjective changes to the masculine form Feliz cumpleaños, hermoso.
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, it is traditional to pull the birthday person's hair or gently push their face into the cake, a custom known as la mordida.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, instead of saying 'happy birthday', people often sing Las Mañanitas, a traditional song that focuses on the dawn and the arrival of a new day.
- While hermosa is a high compliment, using it with a stranger in some Latin American countries might be perceived as 'piropos', which are unsolicited, often flirtatious comments.
Examples in context
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, hermosa! Disfruta tu día.Happy birthday, beautiful! Enjoy your day.
- Te deseo lo mejor, feliz cumpleaños, hermosa.I wish you the best, happy birthday, beautiful.
Example conversation
Javier greets Sofía at her birthday party.
- Javier¡Hola, Sofía! Feliz cumpleaños, hermosa.Hi, Sofía! Happy birthday, beautiful.
- SofíaMuchas gracias, Javier. Qué detalle.Thank you so much, Javier. That is so sweet.
- JavierTe ves muy linda hoy.You look very lovely today.
- SofíaEres muy amable, gracias.You are very kind, thank you.
