feliz cumpleaños, papá
/feˈliθ kumpleˈaɲos paˈpa/word by word
The English phrase "happy birthday dad" is translated into Spanish as feliz cumpleaños, papá.
The phrase feliz cumpleaños, papá is a standard and widely accepted way to wish your father a happy birthday.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you use the word padre instead, the greeting becomes more formal or sounds more distant. For a very informal and affectionate alternative, you might say ¡Te deseo un cumpleaños muy feliz, papi!, which means "I wish you a very happy birthday, daddy!"
How does it change in a sentence?
When writing the word for dad, you must include the accent on the second a in papá. This is necessary to distinguish it from the word papa, which can mean "potato" or "the Pope".
How do you pronounce it?
/feˈliθ kumpleˈaɲos paˈpa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Ensure you always include the accent on the second a in papá to avoid accidentally referring to a potato or the Pope.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to sing Las Mañanitas instead of the standard 'Happy Birthday' song when celebrating a father's birthday.
- In Spanish, when celebrating a birthday, you 'cumples años' (fulfill years) rather than 'celebrating a birthday', which focuses on the achievement of reaching a new age.
- The word papá is not native to Spanish but was borrowed from the French word papa.
Examples in context
- Feliz cumpleaños, papá.Happy birthday, Dad.This sentence is useful for practicing the standard greeting feliz cumpleaños, papá.Tatoeba #13452617 by Seael, translation #2650904 by meerkat
- Quiero decirte: feliz cumpleaños, papá.I want to tell you: happy birthday, dad.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are surprising their father with a cake.
- Daniel¡Feliz cumpleaños, papá!Happy birthday, dad!
- ElenaMuchas gracias, Daniel.Thank you very much, Daniel.
- Daniel¡Feliz cumpleaños, papá, de parte de Elena y mía!Happy birthday, dad, from Elena and me!
- ElenaGracias a los dos, hijos.Thank you both, children.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (feliz, cumpleaños, papá) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cumpleaños, feliz, papá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
