Inside: Many versions of the Happy Birthday song in Spanish for class. Happy Birthday in Spanish song variations for Spanish class. Spanish Happy Birthday songs to build a positive classroom community.
If you have read much on Mis Clases Locas, you might know I have a passion for using music in the classroom. From Music Brackets to weekly music Bell Ringers, authentic music is used every day.
You might also know how important it is to me to build a positive classroom community. The year starts with 1st Day of Spanish Name Game Speedball, Persona Especial interviews on day 2. Among the Spanish Class Routines I have not blogged about is acknowledging birthdays in Spanish class.
Birthdays in Spanish Class
As humans, our birthdays are incredibly special. In elementary school, you get to bring in treats for the whole class and they often sing Happy Birthday for you.
As a high school Spanish teacher, I realized I could harness that same joy, by singing the Happy Birthday song in Spanish. But how do you keep track of 80-200 student birthdays as a high school teacher?
At the start of the year, I collected student birthdays. This was from passing around calendars, where they added their name or a student info Google form. These birthdays were added to the class calendar. This way during our daily chat, we could make sure we did not miss any birthdays or other special days.
Singing together creates a sense of community within the classroom. By making birthdays a special moment, you encourage camaraderie among students. This shared experience fosters a positive and inclusive atmosphere, making the language class more enjoyable.
Why sing the birthday song in Spanish?
Besides building a positive classroom community, here are more reasons to learn and sing a Spanish Happy Birthday song in Spanish class.
Cultural Connection
Birthdays are universally celebrated. By introducing the traditional birthday songs in Spanish you show authentic traditions. This cultural connection fosters a deeper appreciation for the language and its rich heritage. Also, authentic songs from different places show different accents, slang, and cultural traditions.
Cultural Comparison
There are many versions of the birthday song in this post. If you have any heritage learners, have students share the variations of the song they grew up with. The word order and word choice can vary greatly regionally with the birthday song in Spanish. This linguistic variation is a great teachable moment about dialects. It is also important to show that there is no “right” or “correct’ version of the Spanish birthday song. Be open to learning and using new versions of the birthday song that your students use.
Here are multiple songs that you can use to celebrate birthdays in Spanish class. You could learn and use one version over and over. Or with each birthday, try out singing a new Spanish Happy Birthday song.
Cumpleaños Feliz – Birthday Song in Spanish & English
This traditional mariachi birthday song in Spanish and English would be nice to play for class. It is an authentic Spanish birthday song, first in Spanish, then in English. This version of the birthday song uses the following lyrics.
Cumpleaños feliz,
Te deseamos a ti,
Cumpleaños feliz
Te lo deseamos a ti.
Cumpleaños Feliz – Spanish Happy Birthday Song with Lyrics
This slow version of the Spanish Happy Birthday song would be great to project in class since the lyrics are included as well.
The Lyrics of this version of the happy Birthday Spanish song are:
Cumpleaños feliz,
Cumpleaños feliz,
Te deseamos todos,
Cumpleaños feliz.
Spanish Happy Birthday Song – Upbeat version
This faster Happy Birthday song in Spanish would work well for older students as it is less babyish. It is much longer with three verses. It also has the lyrics and translations as well. This would be a good birthday song choice for upper level Spanish class.
This Happy Birthday Spanish song has the same first and last verse as above, plus two more verses of Happy Birthday in Spanish, which I had not heard before.
Cumpleaños feliz, Cumpleaños feliz, Te deseamos todos, Cumpleaños feliz.
Un día feliz para ti, Un día feliz para mi, Cuando llegaste al mundo, Haciéndonos sonreír.
Cumpleaños feliz, Muchos regalos a ti, Muchos abrazos y besos, Cumpleaños feliz.
Cumpleaños feliz, Cumpleaños feliz, Te deseamos todos, Cumpleaños feliz
Happy Birthday in Spanish Song from Sesame Street
If you teach younger students or are in a dual language class, this is a cute Happy Birthday Spanish song version. It starts with a version of a Happy Birthday song in English and then at 30 seconds, Rosita starts a Spanish Happy Birthday song. Then they sing a cute Spanglish Happy Birthday song
Feliz cumpleaños, hoy es tu día.
Feliz cumpleaños, Que lo passes con mucha alegría.
Happy Birthday, hoy es tu día.
Feliz cumpleaños, con mucha alegría.
Feliz Cumpleaños A Ti Spanish Birthday Song
This Happy Birthday song in Spanish is in the Spanglish order that I learned in school. This birthday song in Spanish follows the same translation pattern as the English version. This Spanish Happy Birthday video would be better for elementary-aged kids.
Feliz Cumpleaños a ti,
Feliz Cumpleaños a ti,
Feliz Cumpleaños te deseamos,
Feliz Cumpleaños a ti
Las Mañanitas
Another traditional birthday song in Spanish is Las Mañanitas. This Spanish birthday song version is from the famous Vicente Fernandez and is popular in Mexico, as well as other places. This would make a good cultural comparison of the different Happy Birthday songs in Spanish. I prefer the beautiful video of Las Mañanitas from Ángela Aguilar. It would make a great Música miércoles
Learn more >> Building a Positive Spanish Class Community
Want more Music in Spanish Class?
- New Spanish March Music Bracket 2024 – join in the fun with a bracket you do at your own pace
- 10 Spanish Class Love Songs
- Partner Just Dance Songs
- Authentic Songs Using SpanishPlaylistParty.com
Incorporating the traditional Spanish birthday song into your Spanish class is a great way to celebrate birthdays. The cultural connection, authentic music, and community-building aspects make it a valuable addition to lessons. By making learning Spanish enjoyable and culturally relevant, you’re not just teaching words; you’re fostering a lifelong appreciation for the Spanish and cultural traditions.
