Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| feliz cumpleaños | /feˌliθ kumpleˈaɲos/ /feˌlis kumpleˈaɲos/ |
|
| feliz cumple | /feliθ kumple/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /felis kumple/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
familiar |
The phrase is used to express good wishes to someone on their birthday. You may also hear the phrase ¡Felicidades en tu día!, which is an informal way to say 'Congratulations on your day!' or the sentiment Que tengas un día lleno de alegría y amor, which means 'May you have a day full of joy and love'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of feliz (happy) and cumpleaños (birthday).
Which one should you use?
While feliz cumpleaños is the standard form, feliz cumple is a shortened, casual and playful version used among friends and family.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Feliz cumple is a more casual and familiar version suitable for close social circles.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the phrase as a noun phrase within a sentence, such as 'I wish you a happy birthday', you should include the indefinite article un to form un feliz cumpleaños.
How do you pronounce it?
/feˌliθ kumpleˈaɲos/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, the birthday celebration includes la mordida. After the birthday person makes a wish, guests cheer for them to take a 'bite' of the cake, often pushing their face into the frosting.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to sing Las Mañanitas instead of or in addition to the standard 'Happy Birthday' song. This traditional Mexican song is often performed at dawn to wake the birthday person.
- The verb cumplir inside cumpleaños also means 'to keep a promise' or 'to obey'. This links the act of aging to the idea of fulfilling a duty or destiny.
Examples in context
- Te deseo un feliz cumpleaños.I wish you a happy birthday.This sentence shows how to use the phrase as a noun phrase with the article un.Tatoeba #1187273 by Shishir, translation #897532 by CM
- Te deseo un retrasado feliz cumpleaños.Wishing you a belated Happy Birthday.This sentence demonstrates how to wish someone a belated birthday using feliz cumpleaños.Tatoeba #5628428 by albrusgher, translation #3595119 by DostKaplan
- ¡Feliz cumple!Happy Birthday!This sentence provides an example of the shortened, casual form feliz cumple.Tatoeba #3490513 by cueyayotl, translation #5229053 by jaxhere
- Feliz cumpleaños, señor González. Que tenga un día maravilloso.Happy birthday, Mr. González. May you have a wonderful day.
- ¡Feliz cumple, amiga! Espero que pases un día genial lleno de sorpresas y alegrías.Happy birthday, my friend! I hope you have an amazing day filled with surprises and joy.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María meets Javier at a cafe to celebrate his birthday.
- María¡Feliz cumpleaños, Javier!Happy birthday, Javier!
- JavierMuchas gracias, María.Thank you very much, María.
- MaríaEspero que tengas un feliz cumpleaños.I hope you have a happy birthday.
- JavierEres muy amable.You are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations and entries feliz cumpleaños, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
