Spanish · A1 · Family moment
Happy birthday! in Spanish
Learn how to celebrate your child's special day in Spanish, from blowing out candles to talking about their age and gifts.
What you'll learn
- Say 'Happy Birthday' naturally
- Express ages using the verb 'cumplir'
- Use common birthday party commands
- Understand the basics of dates and ordinal numbers
Spanish phrases for happy birthday!
¡Feliz cumpleaños!
Happy birthday!
A universal way to say happy birthday.
Hoy cumples cuatro años.
You are four today.
Spanish uses the verb 'cumplir' (to complete/turn) for birthdays.
Sopla las velas.
Blow out the candles.
A common command during the cake moment.
Pide un deseo.
Make a wish.
Literally: 'Ask for a wish'.
Aquí está tu regalo.
Here is your present.
'Regalo' means gift or present.
¡Ábrelo!
Open it!
The '-lo' at the end refers to 'it' (the gift).
Vamos a cantar una canción.
Let's sing a song.
'Vamos a' + verb means 'We are going to' or 'Let's'.
Gracias por venir.
Thank you for coming.
A polite phrase to say to party guests.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Pastel / Tarta
Cake
'Pastel' is common in Latin America, while 'Tarta' is preferred in Spain.
Velas
Candles
Used for both birthday candles and regular candles.
Globos
Balloons
A staple for birthday decorations.
Invitados
Guests
The people invited to the party.
Dates in Spanish
In Spanish, we usually use cardinal numbers (1, 2, 3...) for dates, preceded by 'el'. The only exception is the first of the month, where 'primero' is often used.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First of the month | El primero de... | El primero de mayo. |
| Other dates | El [Number] de [Month] | El cuatro de julio. |
Ordinal Numbers (1st - 5th)
Ordinal numbers describe the order of things. In Spanish, they must match the gender of the noun they describe.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Primero/a | Mi primer regalo. |
| 2nd | Segundo/a | La segunda vela. |
| 3rd | Tercero/a | Es su tercer cumpleaños. |
| 4th | Cuarto/a | La cuarta porción de pastel. |
| 5th | Quinto/a | El quinto invitado. |
More examples
¿Cuántos años cumples?
How old are you turning?
Standard way to ask a child their age on their birthday.
Es mi primer cumpleaños.
It is my first birthday.
Notice how 'primero' drops the 'o' before a masculine noun.
¡Qué pastel tan rico!
What a delicious cake!
A nice compliment for the host.