cumpleaños
/coom-pleh-AH-nyohs/
📝 In Action
¡Feliz cumpleaños!
A1Happy birthday!
¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?
A1When is your birthday?
Mi cumpleaños es el cinco de mayo.
A1My birthday is on the fifth of May.
Vamos a celebrar su cumpleaños con una gran fiesta.
A2We are going to celebrate his/her birthday with a big party.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Masculine, Always Ends in 's'
This word is a bit tricky! It always ends with an '-s', even if you're talking about just ONE birthday. It's also always a masculine word, so you say 'el cumpleaños' or 'un cumpleaños'.
Using the Verb 'Cumplir'
To say someone is turning a certain age, you use the verb 'cumplir'. For example, 'Mi hermano cumple veinte años' means 'My brother is turning 20 years old'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Trying to Make it Singular
Mistake: "Mañana es mi cumpleaño."
Correction: Mañana es mi cumpleaños. The word's form never changes. Think of it like the English word 'news' or 'series'—it always keeps its 's' at the end.
Using the Wrong Gender
Mistake: "Fue una cumpleaños divertida."
Correction: Fue un cumpleaños divertido. Because 'cumpleaños' is a masculine word, any describing words (adjectives) that go with it also need to be in their masculine form, like 'divertido'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Singing the Birthday Song
In many Spanish-speaking places, the song starts with '¡Feliz cumpleaños a ti, feliz cumpleaños a ti...!' just like in English. It's a great phrase to know for celebrations!
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cumpleaños
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly says 'It was a fun birthday'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'cumpleaños' end in 's' if it can mean just one birthday?
It's because the word is formed from 'cumplir' (to complete) + 'años' (years). The 'years' part is plural. Think of the word as a single, unchanging unit. You show if it's one or many with the words around it: 'un cumpleaños' (one birthday), 'dos cumpleaños' (two birthdays).
What's the difference between 'cumpleaños' and 'aniversario'?
'Cumpleaños' is specifically for the day you were born. 'Aniversario' is for any other yearly celebration, like a wedding anniversary ('aniversario de bodas') or the anniversary of a historical event.