Have you ever forgotten an important birthday or anniversary? Maybe you meant to send a message, but the day slipped away, and now you’re scrambling to fix it.

Forgetting special dates can be awkward in any language, but when you’re learning Spanish, it’s even trickier. What do you say to apologize? How do you come up with an excuse that sounds natural? And most importantly—how do you make it up to the person you forgot?

In today’s Spanish lesson, we’ll look at common Spanish expressions that will help you navigate these situations smoothly. Our inspiration? A funny conversation between Lili and Salo, two siblings from Colombia, where one of them is in serious trouble for forgetting a birthday.

Why Is This Vocabulary Important for Spanish Learners?

In everyday conversations, people frequently talk about:

✅ Important dates (birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations)

✅ Forgetting something and making excuses

✅ Apologizing and making up for mistakes 

If you’re learning Spanish, knowing how to express yourself naturally in these situations is essential. Why?

🔹 It makes you sound more fluent – Instead of translating word by word, you’ll be able to use expressions that native speakers actually say.

🔹 It helps in real social interactions – If you live in a Spanish-speaking country or have Spanish-speaking friends, you’ll definitely need to wish them happy birthday… and maybe even apologize for forgetting!

🔹 It teaches you cultural nuances – Some expressions, like “Más vale tarde que nunca”, are deeply embedded in Spanish-speaking cultures. Using them makes you sound more natural.

If you’ve ever struggled with how to handle forgetting an important date in Spanish, this lesson is for you!

A fun conversation in Spanish: A Forgotten Birthday & A Desperate Excuse 

Salo is in big trouble—he completely forgot his Aunt Marta’s birthday. His sister Lili is NOT happy because she reminded him multiple times, and he still didn’t pay attention.

Now, Salo is scrambling to come up with a good excuse. Maybe he can say he thought the birthday was on another day? Or that his phone wasn’t working?

Lili isn’t buying it. Instead, she gives him a better solution for fixing his mistake. Do you want to find out what happens next? Then you have to join our membership to have access to this full lesson.

In the meantime here you have some of the expressions and words that you'll learn in this Spanish lesson:

1️⃣ “No tener remedio” (To be hopeless / To never learn) 

Used when someone repeats the same mistake again and again.

🗣️ Example (related to the story): 

 • “You forgot again? You’ll never learn!” 

(¿Otra vez se te olvidó? No tienes remedio.)

2️⃣  “Salir con cuentos raros” (To come up with weird excuses) 

Used when someone gives an unbelievable excuse—just like Salo is doing in the story!

🗣️ Example: 

 • “Don’t give me weird excuses, just admit you forgot!” 

(No salgas con cuentos raros, solo admite que se te olvidó.)

3️⃣  “Más vale tarde que nunca” (Better late than never) 

A classic phrase to use when you’re wishing someone a happy birthday a little too late.

🗣️ Example: 

 • “I know I’m late, but happy birthday! Better late than never.” 

(Sé que es tarde, pero ¡feliz cumpleaños! Más vale tarde que nunca.)

 ... And many more!!

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