Cantamos feliz cumpleaños al abuelo.

to sing

Breakdown of Cantamos feliz cumpleaños al abuelo.

• a: to
• el abuelo: the grandfather
• feliz cumpleaños: happy birthday

Questions & Answers about Cantamos feliz cumpleaños al abuelo.

Why is cantamos used here, and what form is it?

Cantamos is the nosotros form of cantar in the present tense: we sing.

So:

• yo canto = I sing
• tú cantas = you sing
• él/ella canta = he/she sings
• nosotros cantamos = we sing

Be aware that cantamos can also mean we sang in the simple past (preterite). Usually context tells you which meaning is intended.

Does cantamos mean we sing or we are singing?

In Spanish, the simple present can often cover both ideas depending on context.

So cantamos feliz cumpleaños al abuelo can mean:

• we sing Happy Birthday to Grandpa
• we are singing Happy Birthday to Grandpa

If you want to emphasize right now, Spanish can also use:

• estamos cantando feliz cumpleaños al abuelo = we are singing Happy Birthday to Grandpa

But the simple present is very common and natural.

Why is it al abuelo and not just abuelo?