Celebrations in Spanish vocabulary, covering key terms across holidays, parties, cultural events, and more.
This guide introduces essential Spanish vocabulary for talking about celebrations, including holidays, parties, and special occasions. Whether you’re describing a festive meal, sending greetings, or joining in a cultural event, these words will help you express yourself with confidence.
Holidays
Holidays are times for rest, celebration, and tradition. This section covers common Spanish terms for holidays, from religious feasts to national observances.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| la fiesta | las fiestas | the party/holiday | the parties/holidays | La fiesta de Navidad es especial. | The Christmas holiday is special. |
| el día festivo | los días festivos | the holiday | the holidays | Los días festivos son para descansar. | Holidays are for resting. |
| la Navidad | - | Christmas | - | Celebramos la Navidad en familia. | We celebrate Christmas with family. |
| el Año Nuevo | - | New Year | - | Brindamos por el Año Nuevo. | We toasting for the New Year. |
| la Semana Santa | - | Holy Week | - | La Semana Santa tiene muchas procesiones. | Holy Week has many processions. |
| el cumpleaños | los cumpleaños | birthday | birthdays | Mi cumpleaños es en mayo. | My birthday is in May. |
| el aniversario | los aniversarios | anniversary | anniversaries | Celebramos nuestro aniversario hoy. | We’re celebrating our anniversary today. |
| el Día de los Muertos | - | Day of the Dead | - | Visitamos el cementerio en Día de los Muertos. | We visit the cemetery on Day of the Dead. |
| la Pascua | - | Easter | - | Comemos huevos de chocolate en Pascua. | We eat chocolate eggs at Easter. |
| el carnaval | los carnavales | carnival | carnivals | El carnaval tiene desfiles y disfraces. | Carnival has parades and costumes. |
Visitamos el cementerio en ___.
What is "Día de los Muertos" in English?
Day of the Dead
"Día de los Muertos" translates to "Day of the Dead," a traditional Mexican holiday.
Party Supplies
When hosting or attending a celebration, these are the words you’ll need for decorations, table settings, and party essentials.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| el globo | los globos | balloon | balloons | Los globos son de colores vivos. | The balloons are bright colors. |
| la vela | las velas | candle | candles | Encendimos las velas del pastel. | We lit the candles on the cake. |
| la decoración | las decoraciones | decoration | decorations | Colgamos decoraciones en la sala. | We hung decorations in the living room. |
| el pastel | los pasteles | cake | cakes | El pastel de chocolate es mi favorito. | Chocolate cake is my favorite. |
| la piñata | las piñatas | piñata | piñatas | Rompimos la piñata en la fiesta. | We broke the piñata at the party. |
| la invitación | las invitaciones | invitation | invitations | Recibí una invitación para la boda. | I received an invitation to the wedding. |
| el regalo | los regalos | gift | gifts | Compré un regalo para mi amiga. | I bought a gift for my friend. |
| el confeti | - | confetti | - | Lanzaron confeti en la celebración. | They threw confetti at the celebration. |
| el brindis | los brindis | toast | toasts | Hicimos un brindis por la pareja. | We made a toast for the couple. |
| la música | - | music | - | La música animó la fiesta. | The music livened up the party. |
Traditional Foods
Every culture has special foods for celebrations. These are some common Spanish terms for festive dishes and treats.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| el turrón | - | nougat | - | Comemos turrón en Navidad. | We eat nougat at Christmas. |
| el mazapán | - | marzipan | - | El mazapán es un dulce tradicional. | Marzipan is a traditional sweet. |
| los polvorones | - | shortbread cookies | - | Los polvorones son muy populares en invierno. | Shortbread cookies are very popular in winter. |
| el roscón de reyes | - | king’s cake | - | El roscón de reyes tiene sorpresa adentro. | The king’s cake has a surprise inside. |
| los buñuelos | - | fritters | - | Los buñuelos se comen en muchas fiestas. | Fritters are eaten at many celebrations. |
| el pavo | - | turkey | - | En Acción de Gracias comemos pavo. | We eat turkey on Thanksgiving. |
| el cordero | - | lamb | - | El cordero asado es típico en muchos países. | Roast lamb is typical in many countries. |
| el champán | - | champagne | - | Brindamos con champán a medianoche. | We toast with champagne at midnight. |
| el vino | - | wine | - | El vino tinto acompaña la cena. | Red wine accompanies dinner. |
| los dátiles | - | dates | - | Los dátiles son comunes en Año Nuevo. | Dates are common on New Year’s. |
Expressions and Greetings
Use these common phrases to join in the celebration, offer congratulations, and exchange good wishes.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¡Feliz cumpleaños! | - | Happy birthday! | - | ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Ana! | Happy birthday, Ana! |
| ¡Felices fiestas! | - | Happy holidays! | - | ¡Felices fiestas a todos! | Happy holidays to everyone! |
| ¡Buen provecho! | - | Enjoy your meal! | - | ¡Buen provecho a todos! | Enjoy your meal, everyone! |
| ¡Salud! | - | Cheers! | - | ¡Salud por otro año juntos! | Cheers to another year together! |
| ¡Que lo pases bien! | - | Have a good time! | - | ¡Que lo pases bien en la fiesta! | Have a good time at the party! |
| ¡Muchas felicidades! | - | Many congratulations! | - | ¡Muchas felicidades por tu graduación! | Many congratulations on your graduation! |
| ¡Te deseo lo mejor! | - | I wish you the best! | - | ¡Te deseo lo mejor en tu nuevo trabajo! | I wish you the best in your new job! |
| ¡Que cumplas muchos más! | - | Many more to come! | - | ¡Que cumplas muchos más, abuela! | Many more to come, Grandma! |
| ¡Diviértete! | - | Have fun! | - | ¡Diviértete en la fiesta esta noche! | Have fun at the party tonight! |
| ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! | - | Happy New Year! | - | ¡Feliz Año Nuevo a toda la familia! | Happy New Year to the whole family! |
___ en la fiesta esta noche.
How do you say "Have fun!" in Spanish?
¡Diviértete!
"¡Diviértete!" means "Have fun!" at a party or event.
Flashcards (1 of 40)
- English Singular: the party/holiday
- English Plural: the parties/holidays
- English Example: The Christmas holiday is special.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
