quinceañera
/ˌkinθeaˈɲeɾa/feminine
The English phrase 'quinceañera' refers to a fifteenth birthday celebration for a young woman in Spanish. If unsure, use quinceañera. Wiktionary also lists fiesta de quince años and fiesta de quince.
Meaning: fifteenth birthday celebration for a young woman (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| quinceañera | /ˌkinθeaˈɲeɾa/ /ˌkinseaˈɲeɾa/ |
feminine |
| fiesta de quince años | /fjesta de kinθe aɲos/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /fjesta de kinse aɲos/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| fiesta de quince | /fjesta de kinθe/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /fjesta de kinse/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| quinceaños | /kinθeˈaɲos/ /kinseˈaɲos/ |
masculine |
It can refer specifically to the girl undergoing the rite of passage or to the celebration itself.
Which one should you use?
While quinceañera refers to the girl herself, fiesta de quince años refers to the celebration event.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, quinceañera can refer to both the girl and the celebration itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form quinceañero can be used to refer to a boy celebrating his fifteenth birthday, though the tradition is predominantly female-centric.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌkinθeaˈɲeɾa/
When do people say it?
In many Latin American cultures, the quinceañera marks a girl's transition from childhood to womanhood.
Did you know?
- During the celebration, it is common for the quinceañera to present a 'last doll' to a younger sibling or cousin to signify that she is leaving childhood toys behind.
- The word fiesta is an etymological oddity because it kept the initial 'f' from Latin fēsta instead of changing to an 'h' as happened with many other Spanish words.
- In some Latin American traditions, the 'quinceañera' participates in a ritual known as the 'cambio de zapatos', where her father replaces her flat shoes with high heels to symbolize her transition to womanhood.
Examples in context
- Fiesta de quinceFifteen party
- Mi hermana es la quinceañera más bonitaMy sister is the prettiest quinceañera
- Ella es la quinceañera de la fiesta.She is the quinceañera of the party.
- El vestido de la quinceañera es rosa.The quinceañera's dress is pink.
- Estamos planeando una quinceañera muy grande.We are planning a very big quinceañera.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are discussing an upcoming celebration.
- Alejandro¿Ya elegiste el vestido para tu quinceañera?Have you already chosen the dress for your quinceañera?
- SofíaSí, mi vestido de quinceañera es hermoso.Yes, my quinceañera dress is beautiful.
- AlejandroTe verás muy elegante en tu fiesta.You will look very elegant at your party.
- SofíaGracias, Alejandro, estoy muy emocionada.Thank you, Alejandro, I am very excited.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quinceañera” translations and entries quinceañera, quinceaños, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, fiesta, quince, quinceañera, quinceaños, CC BY-SA 4.0.
