Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Congrats in Spanish: Felicidades, Felicitaciones, and Enhorabuena
Felicidades · interjection / noun (feminine plural) · feh-lee-see-DAH-dehs
Felicidades is the go-to way to say congrats in Spanish. It works for birthdays, graduations, promotions, and any celebratory moment. Felicitaciones is slightly more formal. In Spain, enhorabuena is a classic congratulatory expression.
feh-lee-see-DAH-dehs — five syllables with stress on DAH. Felicitaciones is feh-lee-see-tah-see-OH-nehs.
¡Felicidades por tu nuevo trabajo!
Congrats on your new job!
Congrats in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for congrats, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| felicidades | congrats | feh-lee-see-DAH-dehs | Default, widely understood |
| felicitaciones | congrats | universal (more formal) | |
| enhorabuena | congrats | Spain (formal congratulations) |
How Native Speakers Use Felicidades
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Birthday
¡Felicidades en tu cumpleaños!
Happy birthday! (Congrats on your birthday!)
Felicidades doubles as both 'congratulations' and 'happy birthday' in Spanish.
Achievement
Felicitaciones por graduarte con honores.
Congratulations on graduating with honors.
Felicitaciones is slightly more formal and often used for academic or professional milestones.
Spain formal
¡Enhorabuena! Os habéis ganado el premio.
Congratulations! You all won the prize.
Enhorabuena is the preferred congratulatory word in formal contexts in Spain.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Felicidades
Using congratulaciones
Incorrect: ¡Congratulaciones por tu boda!
Correct: ¡Felicidades por tu boda!
Congratulaciones is not a standard Spanish word. The correct forms are felicidades, felicitaciones, or enhorabuena.
Mixing up felicidad and felicidades
Incorrect: ¡Felicidad por tu ascenso!
Correct: ¡Felicidades por tu ascenso!
Felicidad (singular) means happiness as a concept. Felicidades (plural) is the exclamation used for congratulations.
Lock in Congrats 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 Felicidades used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using felicidades in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear ¡Felicidades por tu nuevo trabajo! while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
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Common Questions About Congrats in Spanish
- How do you say congrats in Spanish?
- The most common way is ¡Felicidades! It works for birthdays, achievements, and celebrations. ¡Felicitaciones! is slightly more formal. In Spain, ¡Enhorabuena! is also widely used.
- Can I use felicidades for a birthday?
- Absolutely — ¡Felicidades! is one of the most common ways to wish someone a happy birthday in Spanish. It literally means 'happinesses' and covers both congratulations and birthday wishes.
- What is the difference between felicidades and enhorabuena?
- Felicidades is universal and informal — used everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world. Enhorabuena is more formal and primarily used in Spain for congratulating accomplishments. Both are correct; the choice depends on region and register.