Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Anniversary in Spanish: Aniversario
Aniversario · noun · ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree-oh
The Spanish word 'aniversario' is a direct cognate of 'anniversary,' used to mark the yearly recurrence of a significant date such as a wedding, founding, or historical event. It is a masculine noun and is pronounced with stress on the penultimate syllable.
ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree-oh
Mis padres celebraron su aniversario de bodas con una cena elegante junto al mar.
My parents celebrated their wedding anniversary with an elegant dinner by the sea.
Anniversary in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for anniversary, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| aniversario | anniversary | ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree-oh | Default, widely understood |
| cumpleaños de bodas | anniversary | specifically for wedding anniversaries |
How Native Speakers Use Aniversario
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Wedding anniversary
Para su vigésimo aniversario, viajaron a Cartagena y renovaron sus votos matrimoniales.
For their twentieth anniversary, they traveled to Cartagena and renewed their wedding vows.
Ordinal numbers like vigésimo often precede aniversario in formal writing.
National celebration
La ciudad organizó un desfile para conmemorar el aniversario de la independencia.
The city organized a parade to commemorate the anniversary of independence.
Conmemorar is the preferred verb for formal anniversary observances.
Business milestone
La empresa celebró el décimo aniversario de su fundación con un evento para todos los empleados.
The company celebrated the tenth anniversary of its founding with an event for all employees.
Aniversario de fundación is standard for corporate milestones.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Aniversario
Birthday confusion
Incorrect: Hoy es el aniversario de mi hija; cumple cinco años.
Correct: Hoy es el cumpleaños de mi hija; cumple cinco años.
Aniversario is reserved for commemorative dates like weddings or historical events; a person's birthday is always cumpleaños in Spanish.
Feminine article error
Incorrect: La aniversario de la empresa fue un éxito total.
Correct: El aniversario de la empresa fue un éxito total.
Aniversario is masculine despite ending in -o being a common masculine marker; the correct article is always 'el.'
Why Anniversary Matters in Spanish-Speaking Cultures
Lock in Anniversary Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Aniversario used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Anniversary in Spanish
- How do you say 'happy anniversary' in Spanish?
- The standard phrase is '¡Feliz aniversario!' which works for any type of anniversary. For wedding anniversaries specifically, some people say '¡Feliz aniversario de bodas!' to make the occasion explicit.
- What is the difference between aniversario and cumpleaños?
- Aniversario marks the yearly return of a significant event such as a wedding or historical milestone, while cumpleaños refers exclusively to a person's birthday. Using aniversario for a birthday would sound formal and unusual to native speakers.
- What are bodas de plata and bodas de oro?
- Bodas de plata (silver wedding) marks a couple's 25th anniversary, and bodas de oro (golden wedding) celebrates 50 years of marriage. These landmark celebrations are deeply meaningful across Hispanic cultures, often involving large family reunions, church ceremonies, and festive banquets.