What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of feliz (happy), cumpleaños (birthday) and suegro (father-in-law).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can adjust the level of formality based on your relationship. To be formal, you might say Le deseo un feliz cumpleaños, estimado suegro (I wish you a happy birthday, esteemed father-in-law). For more informal or affectionate situations, you can use ¡Feliz cumpleaños, querido suegro! (Happy birthday, beloved father-in-law!), Que tengas un día de cumpleaños muy feliz, suegro or use the diminutive suegrito to express warmth and intimacy, as in Feliz cumpleaños, suegrito.
How does it change in a sentence?
In written Spanish, you should place a comma before the title of the person you are addressing (the vocative) when addressing them directly, such as in Feliz cumpleaños, suegro.
How do you pronounce it?
/feliθ kumpleaɲos sweɡɾo/
Did you know?
- In certain Latin American cultures, it is common to celebrate a suegro with a serenata, where musicians perform songs at dawn on his birthday.
- While suegro is the standard term, some Spanish speakers use the term consuegro to describe the relationship between two sets of parents-in-law.
- The word cumpleaños is a compound that literally means 'year-fulfiller'. It describes the birthday as the moment someone completes or fulfills their years of life.
Example conversation
Lucía greets her father-in-law at a family dinner.
- Lucía¡Hola! Feliz cumpleaños suegro.Hello! Happy birthday father-in-law.
- JavierMuchas gracias, Lucía. Qué amable eres.Thank you very much, Lucía. You are so kind.
- LucíaDe nada. ¿Le gustó el pastel?You're welcome. Did you like the cake?
- JavierSí, está delicioso.Yes, it is delicious.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cumpleaños, feliz, suegro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
