Inklingo

How to Say "anniversary" in Spanish

English → Spanish

aniversario

ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree-oh/aniβeɾˈsaɾjo/

nounA1general
Use 'aniversario' for the yearly commemoration of any significant event, such as weddings, graduations, or the founding of an organization.
A single, brightly wrapped gift box with a large red bow sits prominently, surrounded by several colorful floating balloons and falling confetti, symbolizing a celebrated special day.

Examples

Hoy celebramos nuestro décimo aniversario de boda.

Today we celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary.

El banco celebró su 50º aniversario con una fiesta grande.

The bank celebrated its 50th anniversary with a big party.

El aniversario de la independencia es un día festivo nacional.

The anniversary of independence is a national holiday.

Gender Alert

Even though it ends in '-o', which is common for masculine words, remember 'aniversario' is always masculine, so you must use 'el' or 'un' before it.

The 'de' connector

When specifying what kind of anniversary it is (e.g., wedding), Spanish usually connects the words using 'de': 'aniversario de bodas' (anniversary of wedding).

Confusing Anniversaries

Mistake: “Using 'aniversario' for someone's personal birthday.”

Correction: Use 'cumpleaños' for a person's birthday. 'Aniversario' is strictly for couples, companies, or historical events.

cumpleaños

nounA1general
Use 'cumpleaños' exclusively for the yearly celebration of a person's birth date; it is not typically used for other types of anniversaries.

Examples

¡Feliz cumpleaños!

Happy birthday!

Confusing Birthdays and Anniversaries

The most common mistake is using 'cumpleaños' for events other than birthdays. While 'cumpleaños' literally means 'completion of years,' it's exclusively used for personal birthdays. Always use 'aniversario' for wedding, company, or other event anniversaries.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.