feliz cumpleaños, papá
/feˈliθ kumpleˈaɲos paˈpa/word by word
The English phrase "happy birthday daddy" is translated into Spanish as feliz cumpleaños, papá.
This phrase is a greeting used to wish one's father a happy birthday. When writing this to express excitement during a celebration, it is common to add exclamation marks at the beginning and end of the phrase: ¡Feliz cumpleaños, papá!
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of feliz (happy), cumpleaños (birthday) and papá (daddy/dad).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cumpleaños is a compound noun that is always used in its plural form, even when referring to a single birthday.
How do you pronounce it?
/feˈliθ kumpleˈaɲos paˈpa/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is traditional to sing Las Mañanitas instead of or in addition to the standard 'happy birthday' song when waking up a father on his birthday.
- The word cumpleaños literally translates to 'fulfills years' because it describes the act of completing a cycle of years.
- Depending on the region, a child might call their father papi instead of papá to express an even greater level of affection or tenderness.
Examples in context
- Te quiero mucho, ¡feliz cumpleaños, papá!I love you so much, happy birthday, daddy!
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, papá, que cumplas muchos más!Happy birthday, daddy, may you have many more!
Example conversation
María gives Alejandro a gift during a birthday celebration.
- María¡Feliz cumpleaños, papá!Happy birthday, daddy!
- AlejandroMuchas gracias, hija.Thank you very much, daughter.
- MaríaTengo un regalo para ti.I have a gift for you.
- AlejandroEres muy amable, María.You are very kind, María.
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.
