Celebrating success and milestones is a big part of many cultures, including the Spanish-speaking world. If you want to congratulate someone on a new job, a family member on their wedding, or a colleague on their achievement, knowing Spanish phrases can make a big difference. This guide will show you the best ways to say “congratulations” in Spanish for different situations.
General Ways to Express Congratulations
When you want to say congratulations in Spanish, you have a few options. You can use felicitaciones, felicidades, and enhorabuena. These words show happiness for someone’s big wins or successes.
Felicitaciones
Felicitaciones is a top choice for congratulations in Spanish. It’s formal and often used in work or official settings. It’s perfect for celebrating big achievements or awards.
Felicidades
Felicidades is like felicitaciones but more casual. You can use it in many situations, from personal to work. It’s a friendly way to say congratulations.
Enhorabuena
Enhorabuena is a bit more formal than the others. It’s mainly used in Spain for big wins or achievements. This phrase is special for important moments.
Te felicito
Te felicito means “I congratulate you” in Spanish. It’s a direct way to show congratulations. It’s personal and heartfelt.
¡Me alegro mucho!
¡Me alegro mucho! shows you’re really happy and thrilled for the person’s success. It’s a way to share your congratulations with joy and excitement.
Celebrating Birthdays and New Births
Celebrating a friend’s birthday or welcoming a new baby is a big deal. Saying your congratulations in Spanish can make it even more special. These moments are big and deserve to be celebrated with beautiful words.
¡Feliz cumpleaños!
This phrase, “Happy Birthday!” is a favorite in Spanish-speaking countries. It’s heard at parties from Mexico to Spain. People love to party and celebrate birthdays with piñatas and traditional songs like “Las Mañanitas.”
¡Felicidades a los nuevos padres!
Welcoming a new baby? Saying ¡Felicidades a los nuevos padres!, or “Congratulations to the new parents!” is a great way to show your happiness. With more Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S., there’s a growing need for Spanish products and services. Companies like Hallmark Business Connections offer special cards, like the Feliz Cumpleaños & Chocolate Cake Spanish Birthday Card, to celebrate new arrivals.
¡Bienvenido al mundo bebé!
The phrase ¡Bienvenido al mundo bebé!, or “Welcome to the world, baby!” is perfect for the new baby. In places like the Dominican Republic, the Los Quince tradition celebrates a girl’s coming of age. This shows how important welcoming new life is in these cultures.
Whether it’s a birthday or a new baby, using Spanish to say congratulations can connect you with the Hispanic community. It shows you care about their traditions and culture. The Spanish language opens up a world of ways to make your greetings special.
Celebrating Weddings, Engagements and Anniversaries
In the vibrant Spanish-speaking world, weddings, engagements, and anniversaries are big deals. They bring joy and celebrations to families and friends. When you want to say congratulations on wedding, anniversary, or engagement, Spanish has many ways to express your happiness.
To say congratulations in Spanish, you can use “¡Felicidades por su boda!” which means “Congratulations on your wedding!” It’s perfect for celebrating a new marriage. For engagements, say “¡Felicitaciones por compromiso!” or “Congratulations on your engagement!”.
For an anniversary, a simple “¡Feliz aniversario!” or “Happy Anniversary!” is great. Or, you could say “¡Felicidades en esta nueva etapa de sus vidas!” which means “Congratulations on this new phase of your lives!”
| Occasion | Spanish Phrase | English Translation |
| Wedding | ¡Felicidades por su boda! | Congratulations on your wedding! |
| Engagement | ¡Felicitaciones por compromiso! | Congratulations on your engagement! |
| Anniversary | ¡Feliz aniversario! | Happy Anniversary! |
| Newlyweds | ¡Felicidades en esta nueva etapa de sus vidas! | Congratulations on this new phase of your lives! |
Whether it’s a felicidades por boda, feliz aniversario, or felicitaciones por compromiso, Spanish is a beautiful way to celebrate big moments in your loved ones’ lives.
Celebrating Holidays
In the vibrant world of Spanish-speaking cultures, the holiday season is a time to come together. It’s a time to express heartfelt wishes. Whether you’re celebrating Feliz navidad (Merry Christmas), Feliz año nuevo (Happy New Year), or the more inclusive Felices fiestas (Happy Holidays), the greetings are diverse and meaningful.
¡Feliz navidad!
The joyous exclamation of ¡Feliz navidad! is a classic way to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Spanish. It captures the festive spirit of the season. It brings to mind twinkling lights, fragrant evergreens, and the warm embrace of loved ones.
¡Feliz año nuevo!
As the clock strikes midnight and the new year dawns, the enthusiastic greeting of ¡Feliz año nuevo! resounds throughout Spanish-speaking communities. This sentiment encapsulates hope, optimism, and renewal. It’s about looking forward to what the new year brings.
¡Felices fiestas!
The inclusive ¡Felices fiestas! allows you to celebrate the entire holiday season. It includes Christmas, New Year’s, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. This phrase conveys your warmest wishes for a joyous and memorable holiday experience.
Whether you’re immersed in Latin American traditions, Spanish heritage, or the diverse Spanish-speaking world, embracing these greetings can foster a deeper connection. So as you celebrate feliz navidad, feliz año nuevo, and felices fiestas, may your celebrations be filled with warmth, joy, and the spirit of togetherness.
Congratulations in Spanish for Achievements
When you want to celebrate someone’s big wins, finding the right words is key. In Spanish, there are many ways to say “Congratulations” that show you’re really happy for them.
¡Felicidades por tu ascenso!
This phrase means “Congratulations on your promotion!” It’s a great way to show you’re excited about someone’s career growth. Whether it’s a promotion, a raise, or a new role, it shows you’re truly happy for them.
¡Enhorabuena! Fuiste elegido como el empleado del año
When someone is named “Employee of the Year,” saying “¡Enhorabuena!” is perfect. It means “Congratulations!” and highlights their hard work and big win. It’s a formal way to say you’re proud of their success.
| Spanish Phrase | English Translation | Occasion |
| ¡Felicidades por tu ascenso! | Congratulations on your promotion! | Celebrating a professional advancement or new role |
| ¡Enhorabuena! Fuiste elegido como el empleado del año | Congratulations! You were chosen as the Employee of the Year | Recognizing an exceptional achievement or award |
Choosing between “¡Felicidades!” or “¡Enhorabuena!” shows you care. Saying congratulations in Spanish is a nice way to celebrate someone’s hard work and success.
New House or Vehicle Celebrations
Getting a new home or vehicle is a big deal. Saying felicitaciones nueva casa (congratulations on your new home) or enhorabuena nuevo auto (congratulations on your new car) can make the moment unforgettable.
¡Felicitaciones por tu nueva casa!
Moving into a new home is thrilling. It’s a chance to make new memories and start fresh. When you say, “¡Felicitaciones por tu nueva casa! Que encuentres alegría y felicidad en tu nuevo hogar.” (Congratulations on your new home! May you find joy and happiness in your new abode.), you’re sharing in their happiness.
¡Enhorabuena por tu nuevo auto!
Getting a new car is a big moment too. A simple message like “¡Enhorabuena por tu nuevo auto! Que te lleve a aventuras emocionantes y seguras.” (Congratulations on your new car! May it take you on exciting and safe adventures) shows you care.
| Spanish Phrase | English Translation |
| ¡Felicitaciones por tu nueva casa! | Congratulations on your new home! |
| ¡Enhorabuena por tu nuevo auto! | Congratulations on your new car! |
| Que encuentres alegría y felicidad en tu nuevo hogar. | May you find joy and happiness in your new home. |
| Que te lleve a aventuras emocionantes y seguras. | May it take you on exciting and safe adventures. |
Customize Your Congratulations Phrase
When you want to say congratulations in Spanish, making it personal can make your message more meaningful. Spanish has many ways to say congratulations, both formal and informal. You can pick the right phrase based on the event or your relationship with the person.
To make your congratulations more personal, just add “por” (meaning “for”) to the event or achievement. For instance, you could say “¡Felicidades por la boda!” (Congratulations on your wedding!) or “¡Felicitaciones por tu nuevo trabajo!” (Congratulations on your new job!). This makes it clear you’re celebrating their special moment.
Personalizing your congratulations shows you care about the details. It also shows you understand and value their culture. Using these personalized phrases, you can send a message that feels real and touching. This works for big events or just hanging out with friends.
Oualid Cheddadi is a language enthusiast who created Lingualid with the mission to inspire independent language learners worldwide, regardless of the language they are learning. The name “Lingualid” is derived from the Portuguese word for “language,” “língua,” and the last three letters of Oualid’s name, “Lid.”