Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Celebrate in Spanish: Celebrar
Celebrar · verb · seh-leh-BRAHR
Celebrar is the primary Spanish verb for to celebrate, used for birthdays, holidays, achievements, religious ceremonies, and any joyful occasion.
seh-leh-BRAHR
Vamos a celebrar tu cumpleaños con una fiesta grande.
We are going to celebrate your birthday with a big party.
Celebrate in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for celebrate, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| celebrar | celebrate | seh-leh-BRAHR | Default, widely understood |
| festejar | celebrate | common in Mexico and Central America | |
| conmemorar | celebrate | for solemn or historical celebrations |
How Native Speakers Use Celebrar
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Birthday party
Celebramos el cumpleaños de mamá en un restaurante.
We celebrated Mom's birthday at a restaurant.
Recounting a family birthday celebration.
Achievement
Los estudiantes celebraron haber aprobado todos los exámenes.
The students celebrated having passed all their exams.
Marking an academic achievement.
National holiday
En México se celebra el Día de la Independencia el 16 de septiembre.
In Mexico, Independence Day is celebrated on September 16th.
Describing a national holiday tradition.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Celebrar
Adding an extra e
Incorrect: Quiero celebrear mi graduación.
Correct: Quiero celebrar mi graduación.
The infinitive is celebrar, not celebrear — there is no extra vowel between the br and the ending.
Using celebrar for somber anniversaries
Incorrect: Celebramos el aniversario del terremoto.
Correct: Conmemoramos el aniversario del terremoto.
Celebrar implies joy and festivity; for solemn or tragic events, conmemorar (to commemorate) is the appropriate verb.
Lock in Celebrate 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 Celebrar used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using celebrar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Vamos a celebrar tu cumpleaños con una fiesta grande. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Celebrate in Spanish
- How do you say 'celebrate' in Spanish?
- The standard verb is celebrar, a regular -ar verb used across all Spanish-speaking countries for joyful occasions from birthdays to national holidays.
- What is the difference between celebrar and festejar?
- Celebrar is the more universal and formal term, while festejar is especially popular in Mexico and carries a slightly more festive, party-oriented connotation.
- How do you say 'celebration' as a noun?
- The noun form is celebración (formal) or festejo (more casual, especially in Mexico) — both are widely understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world.