quinceañera
/ˌkinθeaˈɲeɾa/
The Spanish word quinceañera refers to a quinceanera, a celebration marking a girl's fifteenth birthday.
The term quinceañera is used to describe both the girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday and the celebration or party itself. This is a key distinction from English, where the word almost exclusively refers to the event.
Which one should you use?
The informal, shortened form Quince is used to refer specifically to the celebration.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word follows standard Spanish noun gender and number rules. For example, the plural form quinceañeras can refer to multiple fifteen-year-old girls or multiple quinceañera celebrations.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌkinθeaˈɲeɾa/
When do people say it?
The quinceañera is a significant rite of passage in many Latin American cultures, symbolizing a girl's transition from childhood to womanhood.
Did you know?
- In many Latin American traditions, the celebration includes a symbolic ritual called 'el cambio de zapatillas', where the girl's father replaces her flat shoes with high heels to signal her maturity.
- In some traditions, the girl presents a doll called la última muñeca to a younger relative, signaling that she is leaving childhood toys behind.
- The custom of the quinceañera is a Latin American adaptation of the 'debut', a formal coming-out party once reserved for European aristocrats.
Examples in context
- ¡Voy a la Quince de Cristina este fin de semana!I'm going to Cristina's Quinceañera this weekend!
- ¡La Fiesta de los Quinces de Inés será en una hacienda andaluza!Inés's Quinceañera will take place in an Andalusian estate!
- La quinceañera fue muy elegante.The quinceañera was very elegant.
- Estamos planeando su quinceañera para el verano.We are planning her quinceañera for the summer.
- Ella bailó en su quinceañera.She danced at her quinceañera.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are discussing a relative's upcoming party.
- Javier¿Estás lista para la quinceañera de tu prima?Are you ready for your cousin's quinceañera?
- SofíaSí, ya tengo el vestido para la quinceañera.Yes, I already have the dress for the quinceañera.
- JavierQué bueno, será una fiesta increíble.That's good, it will be an amazing party.
- SofíaEspero que la cumpleañera se divierta mucho.I hope the birthday girl has a lot of fun.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry quinceañera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
