If you’re learning Spanish, you probably already know how to wish someone a happy birthday. But do you know how to ask for someone’s birthday or say when your birthday is in Spanish?
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The Most Common Expressions to Ask for Someone’s Birthday in Spanish
Here are the most common expressions to ask when someone’s birthday is in Spanish:
- ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?
- ¿Cuándo cumples años? – When do you turn years old?
- ¿Qué día es tu cumpleaños? – What day is your birthday?
- ¿Cuál es tu fecha de nacimiento? – What is your date of birth?
- ¿Fecha de nacimiento? – Date of birth?
If you need to know how to ask when someone’s birthday is in Spanish, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, I’ll teach you different expressions that you can use to obtain this information 😉
I’ll provide you with examples using these expressions and descriptions so you’ll know the best contexts to apply each one. And since it’s also important to know how to talk about your birthday and tell others when it is, I’ll also show you some structures that you can use.
1. ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – When is your birthday?
“¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?” is the most common question to ask for someone’s birthday in Spanish. This phrase can be used in both formal and informal situations. Here are some structures and examples:
- ¿Cuándo + [‘ser’ conjugated] + [possessive adjective] + cumpleaños?
- Sandy, ¿cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – Sandy, when is your birthday?
- Oigan, chicas, ¿cuándo fue su cumpleaños? – Hey, girls, when were your birthdays?
If you want to mention the person whose birthday you want to know, you can use this structure:
- ¿Cuándo + [‘ser’ conjugated] + el cumpleaños + de + [subject/person]?
- Mamá, ¿cuándo es el cumpleaños de mi hermano? – Mom, when is my brother’s birthday?
- ¿Alguien sabe cuándo es el cumpleaños de Paty? – Does anyone know when Paty’s birthday is?
- Oye, ¿cuándo fue el cumpleaños de Josh? – Hey, when was Josh’s birthday?
2. ¿Cuándo cumples años? – When do you turn years old?
In Spanish, the verb “cumplir” is used to talk about birthdays. “¿Cuándo cumples años?” is another popular way to ask for a birthday. Like other expressions, it can be used in both informal and formal situations. Here are some examples:
- ¿Cuándo + [‘cumplir’ conjugated] + años + (determiner) + [noun/name]?
- Lizzi, ¿cuándo cumple años tu novio? – Lizzi, when is your boyfriend’s birthday?
- Pá, ¿cuándo cumpleaños mi tía Mary? – Dad, when is aunt Mary’s birthday?
- ¿Cuándo cumplen años Sabrina y Matt? – When are Sabrina and Matt’s birthdays?
- Amor, ¿sabes cuándo cumplió años Leticia? – Love, do you know when Leticia’s birthday was?
3. ¿Qué día es tu cumpleaños? – What day is your birthday?
“¿Qué día es tu cumpleaños?” is a more casual way to ask for someone’s birthday in Spanish. It is suitable among friends, family members, or in informal situations. Here are some examples:
- ¿Qué día + [‘ser’ conjugated] + [possessive adjective] + cumpleaños?
- Señora López, ¿qué día fue su cumpleaños? – Mrs. López, what day was your birthday?
- David, ¿qué día es su cumpleaños? – David, what day is your birthday?
If you want to ask someone about another person’s birthday, use this structure:
- ¿Qué día + [‘ser’ conjugated] + el cumpleaños + de + [noun/name]?
- Mamá, ¿qué día fue el cumpleaños de Carolina? – Mom, what day was Carolina’s birthday?
- ¿Qué día es el cumpleaños de Martha? – What day is Martha’s birthday?
- Andy, ¿te acuerdas qué día es el cumpleaños de Ramón y Paola? – Andy, do you remember what day Ramón’s and Paola’s birthday is?
4. ¿Cuál es tu fecha de nacimiento? – What is your date of birth?
“¿Cuál es tu fecha de nacimiento?” is a more formal expression used to ask for someone’s birthday. It is suitable in business, school, or official settings. Here are some examples:
- ¿Cuál es + [possessive adjective] + fecha de nacimiento?
- Señora, ¿cuál es su fecha de nacimiento? – Madam, what’s your date of birth?
- Mamá, ¿cuál es tu fecha de nacimiento? – Mom, what’s your date of birth?
To ask about someone else’s birthday, use this structure:
- ¿Cuál es + la fecha de nacimiento + de + [noun]?
- Anna, ¿sabes cuál es la fecha de nacimiento del Presidente? – Anna, do you know what the President’s date of birth is?
- Oigan, ¿cuál es la fecha de nacimiento de Alicia? – Hey, what is Alicia’s date of birth?
5. Fecha de nacimiento? – Date of birth?
When it comes to official forms and documents, you may see the term “Fecha de nacimiento” (Date of birth). This is a shortened, formal version of asking for someone’s birthday in Spanish. It can be used as a question or as a statement on a form. Here are some examples:
- Fecha de nacimiento – Date of birth
- ¿Fecha de nacimiento? – Date of birth?
Note that when prompted for this information, the person or organization is usually asking for your full date of birth, including the day, month, and year. In casual conversations, people are mostly interested in the day and month.
How to Say When Your Birthday is in Spanish
Now that you know how to ask for someone’s birthday in Spanish, let’s learn how to say when your birthday is or someone else’s birthday. Here are some expressions you can use:
- Cumplir años + date
- El + date
- Mi cumpleaños es + date
Here’s how to customize each expression:
- [‘Cumplir’ conjugated] + años + (determiner) + [date]
- Cumplo el 24 de abril. – My birthday is on April 24.
- Ale cumple años la semana que viene. – Ale’s birthday is next week.
- Mis tías cumplen años este miércoles. – My aunts’ birthday is this Wednesday.
- Sandy cumplió años el 8 de febrero. – Sandy’s birthday was on February 8.
If someone just asked you when your birthday is in Spanish, you can respond with a short answer:
- (‘Ser’ conjugated) + El + [date]
- ¿Cuál es su fecha de nacimiento?
- El 8 de Enero de 1980. – January 8, 1980.
Note that “Mi cumpleaños es” is slightly more formal but can also be used to let people know when your birthday is.
How to Ask “What Year Were You Born?” in Spanish
If you need to ask someone their year of birth, you can use one of the following questions:
- ¿Año de nacimiento? – Year of birth?
- ¿En qué año naciste? – What year were you born?
The first option is more formal and usually used in surveys or official forms. You can answer it by providing your year of birth.
The second option, “¿En qué año naciste?”, is slightly more informal but can be used in formal and informal situations. Make sure to conjugate the verb “nacer” (to be born) correctly:
- ¿En qué año + [‘nacer’ conjugated] + (noun)?
- Manny, ¿en qué año naciste? – Manny, what year were you born?
- Lupita, ¿en qué año nació mi tía Alicia? – Lupita, what year was my aunt Alicia born?
- ¿Saben qué año nacieron las Kardashian? – Do you guys know what year the Kardashians were born?
Remember that “¿en qué año nace?” or “¿en qué año nacieron?” can also be used to ask when an event, group, or institution emerged or was born.
Wrapping Up
Now you know how to ask for someone’s birthday and say when your birthday is in Spanish. Use these expressions to celebrate birthdays with your Spanish-speaking friends and family. Whether you’re in a formal or informal setting, knowing these phrases will help you engage in conversations about birthdays. ¡Feliz cumpleaños! (Happy birthday!)
[E-E-A-T]: Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness, Experience
[YMYL]: Your Money or Your Life
