Recibo un regalo especial en mi cumpleaños.

I receive a special gift on my birthday.

Breakdown of Recibo un regalo especial en mi cumpleaños.

• yo: I
• un: a
• mi: my
• en: on
• recibir: to receive
• el cumpleaños: the birthday
• el regalo: the gift
• especial: special

Questions & Answers about Recibo un regalo especial en mi cumpleaños.

Why is recibo used here instead of yo recibo?

In Spanish, the ending of the verb often tells us who the subject is (in this case, yo). Because the verb recibo already makes it clear that it refers to the first person singular (“I receive”), adding yo is optional. You can still say Yo recibo un regalo especial en mi cumpleaños to emphasize the subject, but otherwise it's typically dropped.

Why is it un regalo especial and not un especial regalo?

In Spanish, most adjectives come after the noun. So you would normally say un regalo especial (“a special gift”), not un especial regalo. While some adjectives can precede the noun, in this case especial sounds more natural following the noun.

When do I use en mi cumpleaños versus para mi cumpleaños?

Use en mi cumpleaños if you mean “on my birthday,” indicating the time of an event (receiving the gift on that specific day). Use para mi cumpleaños if you mean “for my birthday,” implying the purpose or occasion of the gift (e.g., a gift intended to celebrate your birthday, but not necessarily received on that day).

Could I say cumple instead of cumpleaños?

Cumple is a casual shortening of cumpleaños and is often heard in informal contexts or among friends, but cumpleaños is the standard form. So you could say en mi cumple to sound informal, but in formal or written Spanish, en mi cumpleaños is preferred.

Is there a difference between recibo and obtengo?

Both mean “I get” or “I receive” in a broad sense, but recibo usually focuses more on receiving something that is given to you, while obtengo can mean to obtain something through effort. In the context of a birthday present, recibo is more natural, because it implies that someone else is giving you the gift.