Languages › Spanish Las Mañanitas Mexican Birthday Song Lyrics The Mexican Birthday Song Lyrics and Translation Share Flipboard Email Print Edgardo Contreras / Getty Images Spanish History & Culture Pronunciation Vocabulary Writing Skills Grammar By Suzanne Barbezat Suzanne Barbezat Writer McGill University Suzanne Barbezat is a freelance writer specializing in Mexican travel, culture, and food. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on April 06, 2020 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Instagram Emerson College Jillian Dara is a freelance journalist and fact-checker. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Michelin Guides, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Forbes. Learn about our Fact-Checking Process Las Mañanitas is a traditional song in Spanish that Mexicans sing to honor a loved one on their birthday or their name day or saint's day, and it is also sung on other important holidays, such as Mother's Day and the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. People may sing it as an early morning serenade to wake up a loved one, so if you're visiting Mexico and hear mariachis playing at the crack of dawn, you'll know it's a special occasion. At birthday parties, guests gather around the cake to sing before cutting the cake, as you would sing Happy Birthday To You (although it is quite a bit longer, so it's a good idea to have candles that will last through the song!). The name of the composer of Las Mañanitas is not known. The Mexican composer Manuel M. Ponce (1882-1948) is occasionally credited as having composed it, although it probably pre-dates him. He does seem to have popularized a particular arrangement for the song. As a traditional song with a long history, there are multiple variations of the lyrics and a wide variety of different verses. At most Mexican parties you will usually only hear the first two verses sung, but in this translation, there are some additional verses that are occasionally included, particularly when the song is performed formally by mariachis. Lyrics and a translation of Las Mañantias: Estas son las mañanitas,que cantaba el Rey David,Hoy por ser día de tu santo,te las cantamos a ti,Despierta, mi bien*, despierta,mira que ya amaneció,Ya los pajarillos cantan,la luna ya se metió. This is the morning songthat King David sangBecause today is your saint's daywe're singing it for youWake up, my dear*, wake up,look it is already dawnThe birds are already singingand the moon has set Que linda está la mañanaen que vengo a saludarte,Venimos todos con gustoy placer a felicitarte,Ya viene amaneciendo,ya la luz del día nos dio,Levántate de mañana,mira que ya amaneció. How lovely is the morningin which I come to greet youWe all came here with joyand pleasure to congratulate youThe morning is coming now,the sun is giving us its lightGet up in the morning,look it is already dawn * Often replaced with the name of the person who is being celebrated Additional verses: El día en que tu nacistenacieron todas las floresEn la pila del bautismo,cantaron los ruiseñores The day you were bornall the flowers were bornOn the baptismal fontthe nightingales sang Quisiera ser solecitopara entrar por tu ventanay darte los buenos díasacostadita en tu cama I would like to be the sunshineto enter through your windowto wish you good morningwhile you're lying in your bed Quisiera ser un San Juan,quisiera ser un San PedroPara venirte a cantarcon la música del cielo I would like to be a Saint John>I would like to be a Saint PeterTo sing to youwith the music of heaven De las estrellas del cielotengo que bajarte dosuna para saludartey otra para decirte adiós Of the stars in the skyI have to lower two for youOne with which to greet youand the other to wish you goodbye Another very important element of a Mexican birthday party is the piñata, which although it was originally associated with Christmas celebrations, they are now an essential part of most any children's party (and some adult parties as well!). The piñata has an interesting origin and history, and there is also a special song for you to learn that accompanies the breaking of the piñata. Besides birthday parties, Mexicans find other festive occasions throughout the year that are worthy of celebrating. If you would like to have a party that is Mexican in style, we have lots of tips and ideas for throwing a Cinco de Mayo fiesta that your guests will rave about for years. These can also be used to plan a Mexican-themed birthday party, just be sure you practice singing Las Mañanitas in advance so you'll know what to do when the candles on the cake are lit! Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Barbezat, Suzanne. "Las Mañanitas Mexican Birthday Song Lyrics." ThoughtCo, Dec. 7, 2021, thoughtco.com/what-is-las-mananitas-1588859. Barbezat, Suzanne. (2021, December 7). Las Mañanitas Mexican Birthday Song Lyrics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-las-mananitas-1588859 Barbezat, Suzanne. "Las Mañanitas Mexican Birthday Song Lyrics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-las-mananitas-1588859 (accessed February 1, 2023). copy citation Featured Video By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies