How to say happy birthday in Spanish to a friend.
Not a dictionary line: the phrases Spanish speakers use for a friend, what each means, and 6 complete messages by a native speaker — each one a tap away from a card in Spanish.
“¡Feliz cumpleaños!” (“Happy birthday!”) is the line, and for a friend “¡Felicidades!” (“Congratulations!”) adds warmth. Below: 6 full birthday messages for a friend, written by a Spanish speaker.
¡Feliz cumpleaños! Que tu día sea tan genial como te mereces. A celebrarlo como Dios manda.
Birthday messages in Spanish for a friend
Buscas frases de cumpleaños para un amigo con quien tienes buen rollo aunque no sea tu persona del alma. Mantenlo cálido y sincero: una frase honesta gana a un chiste forzado.
¡Feliz cumpleaños! Que tu día sea tan genial como te mereces. A celebrarlo como Dios manda.
Muchas felicidades a una de las buenas personas. Por un año estupendo y por seguir coincidiendo.
Me alegro un montón de que nuestros caminos se cruzaran. Hoy presume de día. ¡Felicidades!
Que cumplas todos los deseos que pidas al soplar las velas. Pásalo en grande, ¡felicidades!
Feliz cumpleaños a una persona genial de verdad. Que este año sea tan bueno como tú.
Hoy se brinda a tu salud. Disfruta tu día, que te lo has ganado. ¡Muchas felicidades!
The Spanish phrases, and when each one fits
Spanish is informal ('tú') almost everywhere a card is involved — family, friends, colleagues. 'Usted' is for a client or an elder you address formally; in Latin America it is more common than in Spain.
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños! — “Happy birthday!”. The standard wish, everywhere Spanish is spoken.
- ¡Felicidades! — “Congratulations!”. Said on birthdays too — very common on its own.
- ¡Que cumplas muchos más! — “May you have many more!”. The classic follow-up line.
- Que tengas un día maravilloso. — “Have a wonderful day.”. When the day itself is the point.
- Un abrazo enorme en tu día. — “A huge hug on your day.”. Warm — friends and family.
- ¡A brindar por ti! — “Let's toast to you!”. Playful, for a group card.
Questions people ask
Can I write to a friend in English with a Spanish opening?
Yes — open with “¡Feliz cumpleaños!”, write what you want to say in English, and sign off in Spanish: Un abrazo, or Un abrazo fuerte,. For a friend the effort lands harder than the grammar.
Formal or informal for a friend?
Spanish is informal ('tú') almost everywhere a card is involved — family, friends, colleagues. 'Usted' is for a client or an elder you address formally; in Latin America it is more common than in Spain.
How do I sign off?
Un abrazo, · Un abrazo fuerte, · Con cariño, · Besos, · Un saludo, — warmest first.
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