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A1 noun #1,000 mais comum 14 min de leitura

cumpleaños

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Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas cumpleaños em 30 segundos

Explicação cumpleaños in your Level:

At the A1 level, the word cumpleaños is introduced as one of the very first vocabulary words because it is essential for basic personal introductions and social interactions. Beginners learn that cumpleaños means birthday. The primary focus is on memorizing the phrase ¡Feliz cumpleaños! which means Happy Birthday! Students are taught how to state when their birthday is using the structure Mi cumpleaños es el... followed by the number and the month. For example, Mi cumpleaños es el cinco de mayo. It is crucial at this stage to understand that months in Spanish are not capitalized and that the preposition en is not used before specific dates. Another key concept introduced at the A1 level is the verb tener (to have) used in conjunction with age, which is closely related to the concept of a birthday. Instead of saying I am 20 years old, learners are taught to say Tengo 20 años (I have 20 years). The word cumpleaños itself is a masculine noun, so it takes the article el. Students also learn that despite ending in an s, it is singular when referring to one birthday. The plural is los cumpleaños. Basic vocabulary surrounding the word is also introduced, such as la fiesta (the party), el pastel or la tarta (the cake), and el regalo (the gift). Practice at this level usually involves simple role-plays where students ask each other ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?) and respond with their dates. This builds foundational skills in numbers, months, and basic question formation. The cultural aspect is lightly touched upon, usually by learning the traditional Happy Birthday song in Spanish, Cumpleaños Feliz. Overall, at the A1 level, the goal is simply to recognize the word, pronounce it correctly, and use it in the most basic, everyday sentences to share personal information and participate in simple social pleasantries.

At the A2 level, learners expand their use of the word cumpleaños beyond simple dates and greetings to describe past events and future plans. The focus shifts to using the word in different tenses, particularly the preterite and the near future. Students learn to talk about how they celebrated their last birthday using phrases like El año pasado, para mi cumpleaños, fui a un restaurante (Last year, for my birthday, I went to a restaurant). They also learn to express future intentions using the ir a + infinitive structure, such as Voy a celebrar mi cumpleaños con mis amigos (I am going to celebrate my birthday with my friends). At this stage, vocabulary related to organizing a party is broadened. Words like invitar (to invite), la invitación (the invitation), los invitados (the guests), and decorar (to decorate) are introduced. Learners are taught to use prepositions correctly, specifically por and para. They learn the difference between un regalo para mi cumpleaños (a gift for my birthday - purpose) and brindar por tu cumpleaños (to toast to your birthday - reason). The informal abbreviation cumple is often introduced at the A2 level, as students begin to read and write informal text messages or emails to friends. They might practice writing a short invitation: Te invito a mi cumple este sábado (I invite you to my birthday this Saturday). Cultural nuances are explored a bit more, perhaps discussing different types of food eaten at birthdays in various Spanish-speaking countries. The distinction between the noun cumpleaños and the verb phrase cumplir años becomes clearer, and students practice using both interchangeably to add variety to their speech. For instance, transitioning from Hoy es mi cumpleaños to Hoy cumplo veinte años. This level aims to make the learner comfortable discussing the event in a narrative format, sharing experiences, and making social arrangements.

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At the B1 level, the usage of cumpleaños becomes much more dynamic and integrated into complex sentence structures. Learners are expected to handle social situations with greater fluency and cultural awareness. The conditional tense is introduced in the context of birthdays to express desires and hypothetical situations, such as Me gustaría organizar una gran fiesta para mi próximo cumpleaños (I would like to organize a big party for my next birthday) or Si tuviera dinero, viajaría por mi cumpleaños (If I had money, I would travel for my birthday). The vocabulary expands to include more nuanced terms related to celebrations, such as el anfitrión (the host), el brindis (the toast), and trasnochar (to stay up late). Students at this level also learn to express emotions and reactions related to gifts and surprises using the subjunctive mood, for example, Me alegra que hayas venido a mi cumpleaños (I am glad you came to my birthday) or Espero que te guste tu regalo de cumpleaños (I hope you like your birthday gift). Cultural competence is a significant focus at the B1 level. Learners might study the tradition of the quinceañera in depth, understanding its social significance and the specific vocabulary associated with it, such as el vals (the waltz) and los chambelanes (the escorts). They might also discuss the concept of el santo (the name day) and how it compares to a traditional cumpleaños in different regions. Reading comprehension exercises often involve longer texts, such as blog posts or magazine articles about memorable birthday celebrations or how birthdays are celebrated around the world. Writing tasks require more detail, such as writing a thank-you note for a birthday gift or describing a memorable childhood birthday party in the imperfect and preterite tenses. The goal at the B1 level is to move beyond basic transactions and use the word to build relationships, express complex feelings, and understand cultural subtleties.

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At the B2 level, learners are expected to use the word cumpleaños with a high degree of naturalness and flexibility, integrating it into discussions of abstract concepts and complex narratives. The focus moves away from the mechanics of planning a party to the sociological and psychological aspects of aging and milestones. Students might engage in debates or write essays on topics such as the commercialization of birthdays, the pressure of milestone birthdays (like turning 30 or 50), or how the perception of birthdays changes as one gets older. Vocabulary at this level is sophisticated and idiomatic. Phrases like tirar la casa por la ventana (to spare no expense) are taught in the context of extravagant birthday parties. Learners practice using advanced grammatical structures, such as the pluperfect subjunctive and conditional perfect, to express regrets or hypothetical pasts: Si hubiera sabido que era tu cumpleaños, te habría comprado un regalo (If I had known it was your birthday, I would have bought you a gift). The distinction between formal and informal registers becomes crucial. Students learn how to appropriately wish a happy birthday to a superior or a client in a professional email, using formal language and avoiding the colloquial cumple. They might use phrases like Le deseo un muy feliz cumpleaños y éxito en sus proyectos (I wish you a very happy birthday and success in your projects). Listening exercises might involve authentic materials, such as podcasts or radio interviews where people recount funny or disastrous birthday anecdotes, requiring the listener to understand rapid speech, slang, and regional accents. At the B2 level, the word cumpleaños is merely a springboard for complex communication, allowing learners to articulate their thoughts on time, memory, and social expectations with precision and fluency.

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At the C1 level, the mastery of the word cumpleaños involves a deep understanding of its cultural resonance, idiomatic usage, and literary applications. Learners at this advanced stage do not just use the word to communicate facts; they use it to convey tone, humor, and subtle social dynamics. The vocabulary surrounding the concept is expansive and highly specific. Students might discuss la crisis de los cuarenta (midlife crisis) in relation to milestone birthdays or use expressions like cumplir primaveras (to fulfill springs) as a poetic alternative to simply saying one's age. The focus is on native-like fluency and the ability to understand implicit meanings. For example, a C1 learner would understand the sarcasm in a phrase like ¡Vaya regalo de cumpleaños me ha dado el jefe! (What a birthday gift the boss has given me!) when referring to being assigned extra work. In terms of grammar, learners effortlessly navigate complex sentence structures, using passive voice, impersonal constructions, and advanced subjunctive triggers when discussing birthday traditions or societal norms. Se suele celebrar el cumpleaños con la familia más cercana (Birthdays are usually celebrated with the closest family). Writing tasks at this level might involve composing a formal speech for a significant birthday banquet, requiring an elegant and persuasive rhetorical style. Reading materials include contemporary literature or opinion pieces where birthdays serve as a narrative device or a metaphor for the passage of time. Cultural knowledge is highly refined; a C1 speaker knows the difference between singing Las Mañanitas in Mexico and Cumpleaños Feliz in Spain, and understands the regional variations in how the day is acknowledged. The goal is to use the word with the same nuance, wit, and cultural depth as a well-educated native speaker.

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At the C2 level, the highest level of proficiency, the word cumpleaños is fully integrated into the learner's linguistic repertoire, indistinguishable from a native speaker's usage. At this stage, the focus is on absolute precision, stylistic variation, and the ability to manipulate the language for specific effects. A C2 speaker can effortlessly switch between the most colloquial, slang-filled descriptions of a wild birthday party to a highly academic or philosophical discourse on the human construct of measuring time through birth anniversaries. They are familiar with obscure idioms, historical references, and regional dialects related to the word. They might analyze how the concept of the birthday has evolved historically in Hispanic societies or critique literary works where a birthday is a central motif. The vocabulary is virtually limitless, encompassing archaic terms, neologisms, and highly specialized jargon if discussing the topic from a sociological or psychological perspective. Grammatically, there are no barriers; the speaker uses the most complex structures intuitively. They can play with the language, perhaps creating puns or engaging in sophisticated wordplay involving the roots cumple and años. Writing at this level could involve publishing an article, writing a short story, or composing a deeply moving, personalized poem for a loved one's birthday. Listening comprehension is flawless, even when the word is embedded in rapid, overlapping conversation, heavy regional accents, or poor audio quality. At the C2 level, the learner does not just know the word cumpleaños; they own it, using it to express the full spectrum of human experience, emotion, and intellect with eloquence and mastery.

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Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas

cumpleaños em 30 segundos

Means 'birthday' in English.
Always ends in 's' (el cumpleaños).
Combines 'cumple' (fulfills) and 'años' (years).
Often shortened to 'cumple' informally.

The Spanish word cumpleaños is a fundamental and incredibly common noun that translates directly to birthday in English. Understanding this word is essential for anyone learning Spanish, as birthdays are universally celebrated and serve as a primary topic of conversation among friends, family members, and colleagues. The word itself is a compound noun, formed by combining the verb cumple, which comes from the infinitive cumplir meaning to fulfill, to achieve, or to reach, and the plural noun años, which means years. Therefore, the literal translation of cumpleaños is the fulfilling of years or the reaching of years. This etymological background provides a beautiful perspective on how Spanish speakers view aging not just as getting older, but as accomplishing another year of life. When people use this word, they are referring to the anniversary of the day on which a person was born. It is used in a wide variety of contexts, from casual greetings to formal event planning.

Literal Meaning: Fulfilling years, indicating the completion of another year of life.

Hoy es mi cumpleaños y voy a celebrar con mi familia.

You will hear this word constantly throughout the year. Every time someone you know has a birthday, the word cumpleaños will be at the center of the conversation. It is used to wish someone well, to ask about their age, to plan a party, and to buy gifts. In Hispanic cultures, birthdays are often celebrated with great enthusiasm. The traditions can vary significantly from one country to another, but the central theme of gathering with loved ones remains constant. For example, in Mexico, it is very common to sing Las Mañanitas instead of the traditional Happy Birthday song, although Cumpleaños Feliz is also widely recognized and sung in many other Spanish-speaking regions.

Cultural Importance: Birthdays are major social events, often involving large family gatherings, special foods, and traditional songs.

Te invito a la fiesta de cumpleaños de mi hermano este sábado.

When discussing when people use this word, it is important to note that it is not restricted to human beings. You can talk about the cumpleaños of a pet, such as a dog or a cat, and sometimes people even use it playfully to refer to the anniversary of an institution or a project, although the word aniversario is more technically correct for non-living things.

Mañana es el cumpleaños de mi perro Max.

The usage of the word extends to various grammatical structures. You can say feliz cumpleaños to wish someone a happy birthday, or you can ask ¿cuándo es tu cumpleaños? to find out when someone was born.

Common Greetings: The most standard greeting is Feliz cumpleaños, often accompanied by hugs and well wishes.

Furthermore, the concept of the birthday is deeply tied to the verb tener (to have) when expressing age. While in English you say I am twenty years old, in Spanish you say I have twenty years (tengo veinte años). The day you achieve those years is your cumpleaños.

Mi abuela celebra su octogésimo cumpleaños hoy.

To master this word, you must practice using it in different contexts, from writing a simple greeting card to organizing a surprise party. The versatility of cumpleaños makes it a word you will use from your very first days of learning Spanish all the way to fluency.

Compré un pastel enorme para tu cumpleaños.

In conclusion, understanding what cumpleaños means and when people use it opens up a significant cultural and conversational door. It allows you to participate in joyous occasions, show you care about others, and engage in one of the most universal human experiences: celebrating life.

Using the word cumpleaños in sentences correctly involves understanding its grammatical properties, particularly its gender and number, as well as the verbs and prepositions that commonly accompany it. First and foremost, cumpleaños is a masculine noun. Therefore, it must be preceded by masculine articles, such as el (the) or un (a/an). Because the word ends in an s, it is an invariable noun, meaning its form does not change whether it is singular or plural. You say el cumpleaños for one birthday and los cumpleaños for multiple birthdays.

Gender and Number: Masculine noun. Singular: el cumpleaños. Plural: los cumpleaños.

Me encantan los cumpleaños porque siempre hay pastel.

When constructing sentences, you will frequently use the verb ser (to be) to state when a birthday is. For example, Mi cumpleaños es el cinco de mayo (My birthday is on the fifth of May). Notice that in Spanish, dates are expressed using the cardinal number followed by de and the month. Another very common verb used with cumpleaños is celebrar (to celebrate). You can say Vamos a celebrar tu cumpleaños en un restaurante (We are going to celebrate your birthday in a restaurant).

Action Verbs: Common verbs include celebrar (to celebrate), festejar (to party/celebrate), and organizar (to organize).

Mis amigos organizaron una fiesta sorpresa para mi cumpleaños.

You will also frequently encounter the phrase por mi cumpleaños or por tu cumpleaños, which translates to for my birthday or for your birthday. This is used when discussing gifts or special treats. For instance, Por mi cumpleaños, quiero un libro nuevo (For my birthday, I want a new book).

¿Qué quieres hacer por tu cumpleaños este año?

In informal spoken Spanish, it is extremely common to shorten the word to cumple. This abbreviation is used in the exact same way as the full word. You might hear ¡Feliz cumple! or ¿Vas a ir al cumple de Ana? (Are you going to Ana's birthday party?). When asking someone about their birthday, the standard question is ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?). If you want to be more formal, perhaps speaking to an older person or a superior at work, you would use the formal possessive adjective su: ¿Cuándo es su cumpleaños?

Possessive Adjectives: Always use possessive adjectives like mi, tu, su, nuestro, or vuestro before the word to indicate whose birthday it is.

Nuestro cumpleaños es el mismo día, ¡qué coincidencia!

It is also important to know how to talk about the person whose birthday it is. The person celebrating their birthday is called el cumpleañero (the birthday boy) or la cumpleañera (the birthday girl). This is a derived noun that is very useful in social situations.

¡Un brindis por la cumpleañera!

By mastering these sentence structures, you will be able to navigate any birthday-related conversation with confidence and grammatical accuracy.

The word cumpleaños is ubiquitous in Spanish-speaking environments, and you will hear it in a vast array of contexts, ranging from intimate family settings to formal corporate environments. The most obvious place you will hear this word is at a birthday party. Whether it is a small gathering at home or a large event at a rented venue, the word will be spoken constantly. People will arrive saying ¡Feliz cumpleaños!, the cake will often have the word written on it in icing, and the traditional songs sung before blowing out the candles will feature the word prominently.

Social Gatherings: Parties, dinners, and casual meetups specifically organized to celebrate a person's birth date.

La música en el cumpleaños estaba muy fuerte.

Beyond parties, you will frequently encounter this word on social media platforms. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are major hubs for birthday greetings. You will see posts, stories, and messages dedicated to wishing someone a happy birthday. Often, these digital greetings use the shortened form cumple alongside emojis of cakes, balloons, and presents. In the workplace, the word is also quite common. Many companies have a culture of celebrating employee birthdays. You might receive an email from human resources announcing that it is a colleague's birthday, or you might be asked to contribute money to buy a gift or a cake for the office. In these professional settings, the language might be slightly more formal, but the core word remains the same.

Workplace Culture: Office celebrations, HR announcements, and team-building events centered around employee birthdays.

Hoy celebramos el cumpleaños del jefe en la oficina.

You will also hear the word in commercial environments. Restaurants often offer special promotions or a free dessert if you can prove it is your birthday. Retail stores might send you an email with a discount code for your birthday month. In these cases, you might hear a waiter ask, ¿Alguien celebra su cumpleaños hoy? (Is anyone celebrating their birthday today?).

El restaurante me dio un postre gratis por mi cumpleaños.

Schools are another major environment where this word is prevalent. Children love to talk about their upcoming birthdays, hand out invitations to their classmates, and sometimes bring treats to share with the class. Teachers will often have a calendar on the wall displaying the birthdays of all the students in the room. Finally, you will hear this word in everyday conversations when people are catching up. Friends will ask each other about their plans for their upcoming birthdays or recount stories from past celebrations. It is a natural and joyful topic of conversation that bridges gaps and fosters connection.

Everyday Conversations: Catching up with friends, discussing future plans, or reminiscing about past events.

¿Qué hiciste para tu cumpleaños el año pasado?

Falta un mes para mi cumpleaños y ya estoy emocionado.

In summary, the word is deeply embedded in the social fabric of Spanish-speaking cultures, making it an unavoidable and highly useful piece of vocabulary.

When English speakers learn the word cumpleaños, they often make a few predictable mistakes due to direct translation habits and misunderstandings of Spanish grammar rules. The most common mistake revolves around the pluralization of the word. Because cumpleaños ends in an s, many beginners assume it is already plural and try to remove the s to make it singular, saying el cumpleaño. This is entirely incorrect. The word is a compound of cumple (he/she fulfills) and años (years). You cannot fulfill just one year in this context; the word is fixed. It must always have the s at the end, even when referring to a single birthday.

The Missing 'S' Mistake: Never say 'el cumpleaño'. It is always 'el cumpleaños' for singular and 'los cumpleaños' for plural.

Ayer fue el cumpleaños de mi madre, no el cumpleaño.

Another frequent error occurs with prepositions when talking about dates. In English, we say My birthday is ON May 5th. Direct translators will often say Mi cumpleaños es EN el cinco de mayo. In Spanish, you do not use the preposition en for specific dates. You simply use the definite article el. Furthermore, learners sometimes confuse the noun cumpleaños with the verb cumplir años. While cumpleaños is the event or the day, cumplir años is the action of having a birthday or turning a certain age. You cannot say Yo cumpleaños hoy. You must say Yo cumplo años hoy (I have a birthday today) or Hoy es mi cumpleaños (Today is my birthday).

Noun vs. Verb: Cumpleaños is a noun. Cumplir años is the verb phrase used to describe the action of aging.

Mañana yo cumplo años, así que habrá una fiesta de cumpleaños.

A more subtle mistake relates to the phrase Happy Birthday. Beginners sometimes translate this literally word-for-word, but the standard and most natural way to say it is simply Feliz cumpleaños. Adding words like un (un feliz cumpleaños) is generally unnecessary unless it is part of a longer, more formal sentence like Te deseo un muy feliz cumpleaños (I wish you a very happy birthday).

¡Feliz cumpleaños, amigo mío!

Lastly, pronunciation can be a stumbling block. The word has four syllables: cum-ple-a-ños. English speakers sometimes rush the middle syllables, blending the e and the a into a single sound. It is important to pronounce both vowels clearly, though they do form a hiatus. The stress falls on the a, making it cum-ple-A-ños. Also, the ñ must be pronounced with the distinct ny sound, not just a regular n. Saying cumpleanos without the tilde changes the word entirely and sounds incorrect to native speakers.

Pronunciation Pitfalls: Ensure the 'ñ' is pronounced correctly (like the 'ny' in canyon) and do not drop the 's' at the end.

Siempre me olvido de las fechas de los cumpleaños.

Mi cumpleaños cae en domingo este año.

By being aware of these common mistakes, you can use the word accurately and sound much more natural when speaking Spanish.

While cumpleaños is the definitive word for a person's birthday, there are several similar words and alternatives that are used in specific contexts or to convey slightly different nuances. Understanding these alternatives will enrich your vocabulary and help you navigate different cultural and formal situations. One of the most common related words is aniversario (anniversary). While in English we might sometimes use anniversary loosely, in Spanish, aniversario is strictly used for the yearly recurrence of a past event, most commonly a wedding (aniversario de bodas) or the founding of an institution. It is rarely used for a person's birth date unless in a highly formal or poetic context, such as the anniversary of a historical figure's birth.

Aniversario: Used for events like weddings or institutional foundings, not typically for personal birthdays.

Hoy celebramos nuestro décimo aniversario, no mi cumpleaños.

Another culturally significant alternative is el santo (the saint's day) or el onomástico (the name day). In many traditionally Catholic Spanish-speaking countries, people are named after saints. The feast day of that saint is celebrated almost like a second birthday. For example, if your name is Juan, you might celebrate your santo on June 24th, the feast of St. John the Baptist. In some older generations or specific regions, the santo is celebrated with as much, if not more, fervor than the actual cumpleaños.

Onomástico: A more formal term for the saint's day or name day, often used in written invitations or formal speech.

Felicidades en tu onomástico, aunque tu cumpleaños sea en otro mes.

When talking about the celebration itself, the word fiesta (party) is often used interchangeably with the event. Instead of saying voy al cumpleaños de María (I am going to Maria's birthday), you might say voy a la fiesta de María (I am going to Maria's party). The context makes it clear what kind of party it is.

La fiesta de cumpleaños fue un éxito total.

There are also specific terms for milestone birthdays. The most famous is la quinceañera, which refers to both the celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday and the girl herself. This is a massive cultural event in many parts of Latin America, marking the transition from childhood to young womanhood. It is far more elaborate than a standard cumpleaños.

Quinceañera: A major cultural celebration for a girl's 15th birthday, involving formal dresses, waltzes, and large receptions.

Su fiesta de quinceañera fue mucho más grande que un cumpleaños normal.

Lastly, the verb phrase cumplir años is the most direct alternative when you want to focus on the action rather than the event. Instead of saying es mi cumpleaños, you can say hoy cumplo años. Both are perfectly natural and widely used.

Me gusta más decir que cumplo años a decir que es mi cumpleaños.

Knowing these nuances ensures you can communicate accurately and respectfully in any Spanish-speaking context.

How Formal Is It?

Curiosidade

Because it is a compound word ending in 's', it is one of the many Spanish words that look plural but are used as singular (like paraguas or sacapuntas).

Guia de pronúncia

UK /kum.pleˈa.ɲos/

US /kum.pleˈa.ɲos/

cum-ple-A-ños

Rima com

años baños daños engaños rebaños tamaños extraños peldaños

Erros comuns

Pronouncing the 'ñ' as a regular 'n' (cumpleanos).
Dropping the final 's' when referring to a single birthday (el cumpleaño).
Blending the 'e' and 'a' into a single syllable instead of pronouncing both clearly.
Placing the stress on the 'ple' instead of the 'a'.
Pronouncing the 'u' like the English 'u' in 'cup' instead of the 'oo' in 'boot'.

Nível de dificuldade

Leitura 1/5

Very easy to recognize and understand in context.

Escrita 2/5

Learners sometimes forget the 's' at the end or the tilde on the 'ñ'.

Expressão oral 2/5

Pronunciation of the 'ñ' and the hiatus 'ea' requires some practice.

Audição 1/5

Highly recognizable due to frequent use in songs and greetings.

O que aprender depois

Pré-requisitos

año feliz día mes fiesta

Aprenda a seguir

celebrar regalo pastel invitación velas

Avançado

onomástico natalicio efeméride quinceañera aniversario

Gramática essencial

Dates in Spanish

El cinco de mayo (The fifth of May).

Possessive Adjectives

Mi cumpleaños, tu cumpleaños, su cumpleaños.

The verb Tener for age

Tengo veinte años (I am twenty years old).

Prepositions por vs para

Un regalo para ti por tu cumpleaños.

Invariable nouns ending in 's'

El cumpleaños (singular), los cumpleaños (plural).

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Exemplos por nível

Hoy es mi cumpleaños.

Today is my birthday.

'Mi' is a possessive adjective used before the noun.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, amigo!

Happy birthday, friend!

'Feliz' is an adjective meaning happy, placed before the noun here for emphasis.

Mi cumpleaños es en mayo.

My birthday is in May.

Use 'en' for months, but not for specific dates.

¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?

When is your birthday?

'Cuándo' is the interrogative word for when.

Tengo un regalo para tu cumpleaños.

I have a gift for your birthday.

'Para' indicates the recipient or purpose.

El pastel de cumpleaños es de chocolate.

The birthday cake is chocolate.

'De' indicates what the cake is made of.

Vamos a la fiesta de cumpleaños.

We are going to the birthday party.

'A la' means to the (feminine).

Es el cumpleaños de mi mamá.

It is my mom's birthday.

'De' shows possession, replacing the English apostrophe 's'.

Ayer fue el cumpleaños de mi hermano.

Yesterday was my brother's birthday.

'Fue' is the preterite of 'ser' (to be).

Voy a celebrar mi cumpleaños en casa.

I am going to celebrate my birthday at home.

'Voy a' + infinitive expresses future plans.

Compré globos para el cumpleaños.

I bought balloons for the birthday.

'Compré' is the preterite of 'comprar' (to buy).

¿Qué hiciste en tu último cumpleaños?

What did you do on your last birthday?

'Hiciste' is the preterite of 'hacer' (to do/make).

Me gusta recibir tarjetas de cumpleaños.

I like receiving birthday cards.

'Me gusta' + infinitive means I like to do something.

El cumpleaños de Ana es el tres de abril.

Ana's birthday is April 3rd.

Use 'el' before specific dates, not 'en'.

Hicimos una cena especial por su cumpleaños.

We made a special dinner for his/her birthday.

'Por' indicates the reason or motive for the dinner.

No puedo ir a tu cumple mañana.

I can't go to your birthday tomorrow.

'Cumple' is the informal abbreviation of cumpleaños.

Me gustaría que vinieras a mi cumpleaños.

I would like you to come to my birthday.

Uses the conditional 'gustaría' and imperfect subjunctive 'vinieras'.

Estábamos preparando el cumpleaños cuando llegó.

We were preparing the birthday when he/she arrived.

Imperfect progressive 'estábamos preparando' interrupted by preterite 'llegó'.

Espero que tengas un cumpleaños maravilloso.

I hope you have a wonderful birthday.

'Espero que' triggers the present subjunctive 'tengas'.

Organizar un cumpleaños sorpresa es muy difícil.

Organizing a surprise birthday is very difficult.

Infinitive 'organizar' used as the subject of the sentence.

Si tuviera tiempo, haría un pastel para tu cumpleaños.

If I had time, I would make a cake for your birthday.

Second conditional: imperfect subjunctive 'tuviera' + conditional 'haría'.

Ya he enviado todas las invitaciones de cumpleaños.

I have already sent all the birthday invitations.

Present perfect tense 'he enviado'.

Aunque es mi cumpleaños, tengo que trabajar.

Even though it is my birthday, I have to work.

'Aunque' + indicative means even though.

El restaurante nos dio champán por mi cumpleaños.

The restaurant gave us champagne for my birthday.

Indirect object pronoun 'nos' used with the preterite 'dio'.

Se rumorea que van a cancelar la fiesta de cumpleaños.

It is rumored that they are going to cancel the birthday party.

Impersonal 'se' construction 'se rumorea'.

No creo que el cumpleaños de Juan sea hoy.

I don't think Juan's birthday is today.

'No creo que' triggers the present subjunctive 'sea'.

Habríamos ido al cumpleaños si nos hubieran invitado.

We would have gone to the birthday if they had invited us.

Third conditional: conditional perfect + pluperfect subjunctive.

Es costumbre celebrar los cumpleaños con la familia.

It is customary to celebrate birthdays with family.

'Es costumbre' followed by the infinitive.

Por mucho que insistas, no celebraré mi cumpleaños.

No matter how much you insist, I will not celebrate my birthday.

'Por mucho que' + subjunctive 'insistas' expresses concession.

El cumpleañero se emocionó al abrir los regalos.

The birthday boy got emotional upon opening the gifts.

'Al' + infinitive 'abrir' means upon doing something.

Quienquiera que haya organizado este cumpleaños, hizo un gran trabajo.

Whoever organized this birthday did a great job.

'Quienquiera que' + present perfect subjunctive 'haya organizado'.

Apenas terminó la cena, empezaron a cantar el feliz cumpleaños.

As soon as dinner finished, they started to sing happy birthday.

'Apenas' meaning as soon as, followed by the preterite.

Tiraron la casa por la ventana para su quincuagésimo cumpleaños.

They spared no expense for his fiftieth birthday.

Idiomatic expression 'tirar la casa por la ventana'.

Es imperativo que la fecha del cumpleaños conste en el documento.

It is imperative that the birthday date appears on the document.

Formal subjunctive trigger 'Es imperativo que' + 'conste'.

A juzgar por la decoración, el cumpleaños debió de costar una fortuna.

Judging by the decoration, the birthday must have cost a fortune.

'Debió de' expresses strong probability in the past.

Huelga decir que estás invitado a mi cumpleaños.

It goes without saying that you are invited to my birthday.

Advanced vocabulary 'Huelga decir' (it goes without saying).

La celebración del cumpleaños se prolongó hasta altas horas de la madrugada.

The birthday celebration lasted until the early hours of the morning.

Pronominal verb 'prolongarse' and poetic phrasing 'altas horas'.

De haber sabido que era tu cumpleaños, te habría felicitado antes.

Had I known it was your birthday, I would have congratulated you earlier.

'De' + infinitive perfect 'haber sabido' as a conditional clause.

El concepto de celebrar el cumpleaños es un constructo social relativamente moderno.

The concept of celebrating a birthday is a relatively modern social construct.

Academic vocabulary and complex sentence structure.

Llegó al cumpleaños con ínfulas de grandeza, exigiendo atención.

He arrived at the birthday with airs of grandeur, demanding attention.

Advanced vocabulary 'ínfulas de grandeza'.

La efeméride de su cumpleaños pasó desapercibida para la mayoría.

The anniversary of his birthday went unnoticed by the majority.

Literary vocabulary 'efeméride' and 'pasar desapercibido'.

El jolgorio del cumpleaños ensordecía a los vecinos del inmueble.

The revelry of the birthday deafened the neighbors of the building.

Rich descriptive nouns and verbs 'jolgorio', 'ensordecía'.

Acució a los invitados para que llegaran puntuales al cumpleaños.

He urged the guests to arrive punctually to the birthday.

Rare verb 'acuciar' (to urge/press).

El ágape de cumpleaños fue un dechado de exquisitez culinaria.

The birthday banquet was a paragon of culinary exquisiteness.

Highly formal and literary vocabulary 'ágape', 'dechado'.

Soslayó el tema de su cumpleaños para evitar el escrutinio público.

He dodged the topic of his birthday to avoid public scrutiny.

Advanced verb 'soslayar' (to dodge/evade).

La algarabía propia del cumpleaños contrastaba con su estoico semblante.

The clamor typical of the birthday contrasted with his stoic countenance.

Sophisticated phrasing and vocabulary 'algarabía', 'estoico semblante'.

Festejar el cumpleaños se ha convertido en una sinecura para la industria del ocio.

Celebrating birthdays has become a sinecure for the leisure industry.

Use of highly specialized term 'sinecura'.

El vate declamó un poema encomiástico en honor al cumpleaños del monarca.

The bard recited a eulogistic poem in honor of the monarch's birthday.

Archaic and literary terms 'vate', 'encomiástico'.

Colocações comuns

feliz cumpleaños

fiesta de cumpleaños

pastel de cumpleaños

regalo de cumpleaños

tarjeta de cumpleaños

celebrar el cumpleaños

cumplir años

día de cumpleaños

invitación de cumpleaños

sorpresa de cumpleaños

Frases Comuns

¡Feliz cumpleaños!

— The standard greeting meaning Happy Birthday.

¡Feliz cumpleaños! Que pases un gran día.

¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?

— Asking someone for their date of birth.

¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? Quiero anotarlo.

Que cumplas muchos más.

— A common well-wish meaning May you have many more (birthdays).

Felicidades, que cumplas muchos más.

Feliz en tu día.

— A phrase often sung, meaning Happy on your day.

Feliz, feliz en tu día, amiguito que Dios te bendiga.

Por mi cumpleaños.

— Used to state that something is for or because of one's birthday.

Por mi cumpleaños, fuimos a cenar fuera.

Regalo de cumpleaños.

— A birthday present.

Me dio un libro como regalo de cumpleaños.

Fiesta sorpresa de cumpleaños.

— A surprise birthday party.

Le hicimos una fiesta sorpresa de cumpleaños.

Pastel de cumpleaños.

— A birthday cake.

Sopló las velas del pastel de cumpleaños.

El cumpleañero / La cumpleañera.

— The birthday boy / The birthday girl.

¡Un aplauso para el cumpleañero!

Mi próximo cumpleaños.

— My next birthday.

Para mi próximo cumpleaños quiero viajar.

Frequentemente confundido com

cumpleaños vs aniversario

Aniversario is used for events like weddings or company foundings, not usually for a person's age.

cumpleaños vs cumpleaño

This is a grammatically incorrect form. The word must always end in 's'.

cumpleaños vs santo

El santo refers to the name day (feast of the saint), which is different from the actual birth date, though celebrated similarly.

Expressões idiomáticas

"Tirar la casa por la ventana"

— To spare no expense, often used when organizing a lavish birthday party.

Para su cumpleaños, tiraron la casa por la ventana.

informal

"Estar de manteles largos"

— To be celebrating a special occasion, often a birthday, implying a grand feast.

Hoy estamos de manteles largos por el cumpleaños del abuelo.

neutral

"Cumplir primaveras"

— A poetic way of saying to have a birthday or to turn a certain age (fulfilling springs).

Hoy la niña cumple quince primaveras.

literary

"Caer en (día)"

— To fall on a specific day of the week, used to discuss when a birthday happens this year.

Este año mi cumpleaños cae en domingo.

neutral

"Pasar de (edad)"

— To be over a certain age, often discussed around birthdays.

Ya pasé de los treinta en mi último cumpleaños.

informal

"Llegar a los (edad)"

— To reach a certain age milestone.

Por fin llegué a los dieciocho en este cumpleaños.

neutral

"Echar la casa por la ventana"

— A variation of tirar la casa por la ventana, meaning to spend a lot of money on a celebration.

Echaron la casa por la ventana para el cumpleaños.

informal

"Celebrar por todo lo alto"

— To celebrate in a grand, spectacular way.

Vamos a celebrar tu cumpleaños por todo lo alto.

neutral

"Ser el rey/la reina de la fiesta"

— To be the center of attention, typically the birthday person.

Hoy eres la reina de la fiesta por tu cumpleaños.

informal

"Apagar las velitas"

— To blow out the candles, synonymous with celebrating the birthday moment.

Llegó la hora de apagar las velitas del cumpleaños.

neutral

Fácil de confundir

cumpleaños vs cumplir

It is the verb form of the root word.

Cumplir is the action (to fulfill/to turn an age), while cumpleaños is the noun (the event/day).

Mañana voy a cumplir años, así que tendré una fiesta de cumpleaños.

cumpleaños vs años

It is the second half of the compound word.

Años just means years. It does not mean birthday on its own.

Tengo veinte años, pero mi cumpleaños es mañana.

cumpleaños vs aniversario

Both mark a yearly recurrence.

Aniversario is for events (weddings), cumpleaños is for people's births.

Es nuestro aniversario de bodas, no mi cumpleaños.

cumpleaños vs fiesta

Often used interchangeably in context.

Fiesta means party. A birthday is a type of party, but not all parties are birthdays.

La fiesta es por mi cumpleaños.

cumpleaños vs natalicio

Formal synonym.

Natalicio is highly formal or historical, not used in everyday speech.

Celebramos el natalicio de Simón Bolívar.

Padrões de frases

Mi cumpleaños es el [number] de [month].

Mi cumpleaños es el diez de agosto.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, [name]!

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Carlos!

Voy a celebrar mi cumpleaños en [place].

Voy a celebrar mi cumpleaños en la playa.

Compré un [gift] para tu cumpleaños.

Compré un libro para tu cumpleaños.

Me gustaría que vinieras a mi fiesta de cumpleaños.

Si fuera mi cumpleaños, yo [conditional verb].

Si fuera mi cumpleaños, yo viajaría a París.

Es increíble que ya sea tu cumpleaños otra vez.

Huelga decir que celebraremos tu cumpleaños por todo lo alto.

Família de palavras

Substantivos

cumpleañero

cumpleañera

cumple

Verbos

cumplir

Adjetivos

cumpleañero

Relacionado

año

aniversario

fiesta

celebración

edad

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Como usar

frequency

Extremely high. It is a core vocabulary word taught in the first weeks of learning Spanish.

Erros comuns

el cumpleaño → el cumpleaños
Learners often remove the 's' thinking it makes the word singular. The word is a compound and must always end in 's', even for a single birthday.
Mi cumpleaños es en el cinco de mayo. → Mi cumpleaños es el cinco de mayo.
English speakers translate 'on May 5th' to 'en el cinco'. In Spanish, specific dates only require the definite article 'el'.
Yo cumpleaños hoy. → Hoy es mi cumpleaños. / Hoy cumplo años.
You cannot use the noun 'cumpleaños' as a verb. You must use the verb 'ser' (to be) or the verb phrase 'cumplir años'.
Feliz cumpleanos → Feliz cumpleaños
Forgetting the tilde on the 'ñ' changes the pronunciation entirely and is a spelling error. The 'ñ' is a distinct letter in the Spanish alphabet.
Es el aniversario de Juan. → Es el cumpleaños de Juan.
Using 'aniversario' for a person's birthday is a false friend from other languages (like French). In Spanish, use 'cumpleaños' for people.

Dicas

Always Keep the 'S'

Never drop the 's' at the end of the word. It is 'el cumpleaños' for one birthday and 'los cumpleaños' for many. 'El cumpleaño' does not exist.

Nail the 'Ñ'

The 'ñ' is crucial. Pronounce it like the 'ny' in the English word 'canyon'. If you say 'cumpleanos' with a regular 'n', it sounds wrong to native speakers.

Use the Short Form

In casual conversation or texting, feel free to use 'cumple'. It makes you sound much more natural and fluent with friends. '¡Feliz cumple!'

Dates Take 'El'

When stating your birthday, use 'el' before the date, not 'en'. Say 'Mi cumpleaños es el dos de marzo', not 'en el dos de marzo'.

Learn the Songs

Depending on where you are, learn the local birthday song. In Spain, it's 'Cumpleaños Feliz', but in Mexico, you'll need to know 'Las Mañanitas'.

Related Verbs

Pair the noun with the right verbs. You 'celebrar' (celebrate), 'organizar' (organize), or 'festejar' (party) a cumpleaños.

Masculine Noun

Remember that it is a masculine noun. This means adjectives must match: 'un cumpleaños divertido' (a fun birthday), not 'divertida'.

The Birthday Person

Learn the words 'el cumpleañero' (birthday boy) and 'la cumpleañera' (birthday girl). They are very useful at parties!

Writing Dates

When writing your birthday date in Spanish, remember that months are not capitalized. 'el 10 de enero', not 'Enero'.

Noun vs Verb

Don't confuse the noun 'cumpleaños' with the verb phrase 'cumplir años'. Use the verb when focusing on the action of aging: 'Mañana cumplo años'.

Memorize

Mnemônico

Imagine a person who COMPLies with the rules of aging every YEAR (AÑOS). They fulfill (cumple) their years (años).

Associação visual

Picture a calendar with a big cake on it. The pages of the calendar are flying away, showing the 'years' (años) being 'completed' (cumple).

Word Web

cumpleaños fiesta pastel regalo velas cumplir años celebrar

Desafio

Write down the birthdays of three of your friends in Spanish using the format: 'El cumpleaños de [Name] es el [Number] de [Month].'

Origem da palavra

The word is a compound noun formed from the verb 'cumplir' and the noun 'años'. 'Cumplir' comes from the Latin 'complere', meaning to fill up or complete. 'Años' comes from the Latin 'annus', meaning year.

Significado original: The literal original meaning is the completion or fulfilling of years.

Indo-European > Italic > Romance > Western Romance > Ibero-Romance > Spanish.

Contexto cultural

Be aware that Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays. Also, asking someone's age directly can be considered impolite in some formal contexts, though asking when their birthday is is generally acceptable.

Unlike in English where 'birthday' is a single root concept, the Spanish word explicitly references the passage of time (years).

The song 'Las Mañanitas', traditionally sung at Mexican birthdays. The song 'Cumpleaños Feliz', the standard Spanish version of Happy Birthday. The cultural phenomenon of the 'Quinceañera', widely depicted in media.

Pratique na vida real

Contextos reais

Greeting someone on their special day.

¡Feliz cumpleaños!
Que pases un lindo día.
Mis mejores deseos.
Felicidades.

Asking for personal information.

¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?
¿Qué día naciste?
¿Cuántos años cumples?
Mi cumpleaños es el...

Organizing a party.

Vamos a hacer una fiesta.
¿A quién vas a invitar?
Compré el pastel.
Es una fiesta sorpresa.

Buying a gift.

Busco un regalo de cumpleaños.
¿Qué le gusta?
Es para mi amigo.
¿Me lo puede envolver?

Social media posts.

Feliz cumple.
Disfruta tu día.
Un año más de vida.
Celebrando con los mejores.

Iniciadores de conversa

"¿Qué planes tienes para celebrar tu próximo cumpleaños?"

"¿Cuál ha sido el mejor regalo de cumpleaños que has recibido?"

"¿Prefieres las fiestas de cumpleaños sorpresa o planearlas tú mismo?"

"¿Cómo se celebran los cumpleaños tradicionalmente en tu país?"

"¿Te gusta que te canten el feliz cumpleaños en los restaurantes?"

Temas para diário

Describe the best birthday party you ever had when you were a child.

Write about how your feelings towards your birthday have changed as you have gotten older.

Plan your ideal fantasy birthday celebration without worrying about the budget.

Write a birthday greeting card message to your best friend in Spanish.

Reflect on what you have accomplished since your last birthday and set goals for the next one.

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

It can be both! The word itself is invariable, meaning it always ends in 's'. You determine if it is singular or plural by the article used before it. 'El cumpleaños' means one birthday. 'Los cumpleaños' means multiple birthdays. Never say 'el cumpleaño'.

The most common and direct translation is '¡Feliz cumpleaños!'. You can use this with anyone, regardless of formality. In informal situations, especially in texts, people often shorten it to '¡Feliz cumple!'.

You must use 'el'. In English, we say 'My birthday is ON May 5th'. In Spanish, you say 'Mi cumpleaños es EL cinco de mayo'. Using 'en' before a specific date is a common mistake for English speakers.

It is a compound word made of 'cumple' (from the verb cumplir, meaning to fulfill or complete) and 'años' (meaning years). So, it literally translates to 'fulfilling years' or 'completing years'.

Generally, no. 'Aniversario' is used for the anniversary of events, like a wedding (aniversario de bodas) or the founding of a company. For a person's birth, always use 'cumpleaños'.

A 'quinceañera' is a specific cultural celebration for a girl's 15th birthday in many Latin American countries. It is much more elaborate than a standard 'cumpleaños' and marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood.

The standard way to ask is '¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?' (When is your birthday?). If you are speaking formally to someone older or in a professional setting, you would say '¿Cuándo es su cumpleaños?'.

In many Catholic Spanish-speaking cultures, people are named after saints. 'El santo' refers to the feast day of that saint. Some people celebrate their 'santo' (name day) just like a birthday, or even instead of it.

'Cumplir años' is the verb phrase used to describe the action of having a birthday or turning a certain age. It is more natural to say 'Hoy cumplo años' (Today I am turning a year older) than 'Tengo un cumpleaños hoy', though both are understood.

It is 'el cumpleaños'. The word is a masculine noun. Therefore, you use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as 'el', 'un', 'este', or 'nuestro'.

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