Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| feliz | /feˈliθ/ /feˈlis/ |
| alegre | /aˈleɡɾe/ |
| alacre | /alakɾe/ (from spelling rules) |
In Spanish, words for happy vary depending on whether you are describing a deep sense of contentment or a temporary mood. Use feliz to describe a state of being or a long-term sense of contentment. You can use it in common phrases such as feliz cumpleaños (happy birthday), feliz aniversario (happy anniversary) and ¡Feliz aprendizaje! (Happy learning!).
Which one should you use?
While feliz describes a long-term state of contentment, alegre is used to describe a person's temperament or a temporary mood of being cheerful or high-spirited. The word alacre is also a form for happy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective feliz is invariable in gender, so it stays the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. However, it must change for number. The plural form is felices, as seen in the phrase felices fiestas (happy holidays).
How do you pronounce it?
/feˈliθ/
When do people say it?
To express being extremely happy in a colloquial way, you can use the idiom Feliz como una perdiz, which translates to happy as a partridge.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word alegre can be used as a euphemism for someone who is slightly drunk, similar to the English word 'tipsy'.
- In some contexts, alegre is used to describe a quantity that is 'considerable' or 'hefty', such as una suma alegre meaning a large sum of money.
- While feliz describes a general state of happiness, alegre can also describe something 'bright' or 'colorful', such as a room with alegre walls.
Examples in context
- ¿Es feliz o no?Are you happy or not?This sentence uses feliz to ask about a state of happiness.Tatoeba #5009194 by cueyayotl, translation #5008854 by CK
- Se le ve feliz.You look happy.This sentence uses feliz to describe how someone looks.Tatoeba #6682473 by arh, translation #2044397 by CK
- Tom se ve feliz.Tom seems happy.This sentence uses feliz to describe how someone seems.Tatoeba #1167472 by marcelostockle, translation #1164232 by CK
- 786 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking in a park.
- LucíaJavier, te ves muy feliz hoy.Javier, you look very happy today.
- JavierSí, Lucía, estoy muy feliz.Yes, Lucía, I am very happy.
- Lucía¿Por qué estás tan feliz?Why are you so happy?
- JavierPorque el día es hermoso.Because the day is beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy” translations and entries feliz, alegre, 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.
