¡Feliz cumpleaños, mamá!
/feˈliθ kumpleˈaɲos maˈma/word by word
In Spanish, happy birthday mom is said as ¡Feliz cumpleaños, mamá!
This phrase is a greeting used to wish one's mother a happy birthday.
Which one should you use?
The term mamá is more affectionate and informal than the word madre.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, ¡Feliz cumple, vieja! is a common informal way to affectionately refer to your mom. In Mexico, Feliz cumpleaños, mamá linda. is a warm and affectionate birthday greeting.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word mamá requires an accent on the second a to indicate that the stress is on the final syllable.
How do you pronounce it?
/feˈliθ kumpleˈaɲos maˈma/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, a person might refer to their mother as jefa (boss) as a playful, informal way to acknowledge her authority during celebrations.
- In some regions, a common birthday tradition involves 'la mordida', where guests encourage the birthday person to take a bite of the cake before everyone cheers.
- The word feliz shares a common ancestor with the English word 'felicity', which refers to intense happiness or bliss.
Examples in context
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, madre! Que este día esté lleno de alegría y bendiciones.Happy Birthday, Mom! May this day be filled with joy and blessings.
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, mamá! Espero que tu día esté lleno de amor y felicidad.Happy Birthday, Mom! I hope your day is filled with love and happiness.
- Te deseo un cumpleaños muy feliz, mamá. Gracias por ser mi guía y mi mejor amiga.I wish you a very happy birthday, Mom. Thank you for being my guide and my best friend.
- Quiero decir: ¡Feliz cumpleaños, mamá!I want to say: Happy birthday, mom!
- Ella gritó: ¡Feliz cumpleaños, mamá!She shouted: Happy birthday, mom!
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are at a birthday party for their mother.
- Javier¡Feliz cumpleaños, mamá!Happy birthday, mom!
- SofíaGracias, Javier, te quiero mucho.Thank you, Javier, I love you very much.
- JavierSofía, ¿tienes el regalo?Sofía, do you have the gift?
- SofíaSí, lo tengo aquí.Yes, I have it here.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (feliz, cumpleaños, mamá) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cumpleaños, feliz, mamá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
