ESL Birthday Vocabulary

People like to celebrate birthdays, and this ESL birthday vocabulary page will give you all the vocabulary you will need to understand what is happening. The words on this page will let you understand what is happening when someone has a birthday or when there is a birthday party.

This page has the birthday vocabulary list as well as several exercises for you to do to test your understanding. The vocabulary list has many words with definitions so you can learn what they mean. This list has been made into some ESL birthday vocabulary flashcards that you can download and use at home. Then there is a recording of the ESL birthday vocabulary being spoken by a native English speaker so you can hear the correct pronunciation.

Then the exercise part has the following three tasks for you to do that will test how much of the vocabulary you have remembered:

• Select a definition that matches a word.
• Select a word that matches a definition.
• Select a word that goes with a picture.

ESL Birthday Vocabulary List with Definitions

The following list has all the ESL birthday vocabulary for you to look at and learn. Each word has a definition of its meaning as well as the part of speech that it is. You can try to learn all the words, or use the list for reference so you can come back and look up the meaning of words when you need to. Following the list are some flashcards and then recordings of the ESL birthday vocabulary being spoken by a native English user.

Age: The time a person has lived, usually counted in years. (noun)
Anticipation: The act of looking forward and being excited about an event. (noun)
Appearance: The way we look or a showing of something. (noun)
Appreciate: To like or enjoy an object or event. (verb)
Appropriate: Something that is suitable and correct for the occasion. (adjective)
Baby: A small very young human or tiny creature. (noun)
Balloon: A soft rubber shape with an entrance into which air is blown, secured and used as a party decoration. (noun)
Bicycle: A two wheeled vehicle to move around on that uses the feet to make it move. (noun)
Big: A large or great thing, not small. (adjective)
Birthday: The day when you are born, and that is celebrated on the same day each year. (noun)
Birthday cake: A special type of cake that is eaten at a birthday party with candles on. (noun)
Birthday card: A greeting card that is given to someone on their birthday to help them celebrate. (noun)
Blow: The action of expelling air from the mouth. (verb)
Blow out: To send air out of your mouth to stop candles from burning. (verb)
Bow: A pretty loop of ribbon to decorate a present. (noun)
Busy: Lots of movement. (adjective)
Buy: To get something using money. (verb)
Cake: A cooked sweet food using eggs, flour and fat, which is sometimes decorated with icing sugar. (noun)
Candles: Wax sticks that contain a wick and when lit they give light. (noun)
Car: A vehicle on four wheels that transports people to different venues. (noun)
Celebrate: To mark an event in a fun way. (verb)
Chair: A solid piece of furniture for sitting on. (noun)
Chips: Potatoes cooked and finely sliced with various flavours added (US English). (noun)
Chocolates: Small sweets covered in a firm brown paste and grouped into a box. (noun)
Circle: A round shape with the ends linked together. (noun)
Clothing: The items that people wear to keep them warm or to look nice. (noun)
Community: A gathering of people in a special area. (noun)
Crisps: Potatoes cooked and finely sliced with various flavours added (UK English). (noun)
Dance: To move the body to the sound of music. (verb)
Date: An appointment to meet someone, or the specific day that something happens. (noun)
Decorate: To make something look nice and pretty. (verb)
Develop: To grow older and get better at something. (verb)
Dinner: A choice of different kinds of food, usually cooked, and eaten in the evening. (noun)
Disco: A party where people dance to music. (noun)
Drinks: Liquids to refresh a thirst. (noun)
Driving lessons: Being taught the correct way to use a vehicle safely. (noun)
Energetic: Having lots of bounce and energy. (adjective)
Excitement: The feeling of being very happy and joyful. (noun)
Family: People linked through birth. (noun)
Father: A male parent. (noun)
Flowers: The stems and coloured petals from plants. (noun)
Footballers: People who play the game of football. (noun)
Frosting: Soft sugar mixed to a paste with liquid and spread on the top of cakes (same as frosting). (noun)
Games: An activity that is done with a group of people for enjoyment. (noun)
Garage: A building where cars are kept or that is used as a general storage place. (noun)
Garden: A space where plants grow and there are green grassy areas for playing. (noun)
Gift wrap: Brightly coloured paper that is used to cover a present (same as wrapping paper). (noun)
Gift: An item that is given to someone else, normally for a special occasion (same as present). (noun)
Gold: A precious shiny metal. (noun)
Goodie bags: The items that people take away from a party, unusually some cake and a small thankyou present. (noun)
Grandparent: The mother or father of someone’s mother or father. (noun)
Grateful: Delighted, very thankful. (adjective)
Guests: The people who come to a party. (noun)
Hall: A building with a big empty space for moving around in. (noun)
Happy birthday: The greeting for when it is someone’s birthday. (noun)
Health: The state of someone’s body related to illness. (noun)
Helicopter: A flying machine that is lifted from the ground by rotating blades. (noun)
Holiday: A time of rest and recuperation. (noun)
Ice-cream: Frozen milk and cream that is eaten with jelly at parties. (noun)
Icing: Soft sugar mixed to a paste with liquid and spread on the top of cakes (same as frosting). (noun)
Idol: Someone special who is elevated above other people and respected. (noun)
Independent: Being able to do things without help. (adjective)
Invitation: A way of asking someone to come to a party. (noun)
Jelly: A type of wobbly food that is eaten with ice-cream at parties. (noun)
Juice: A sweet drink made using water, sugar and fruit. (noun)
Jump: A leap into the air. (noun)
Letter: A written form of communication. (noun)
Maturity: Growing in knowledge and wisdom as someone gets older. (noun)
Money: The tokens used for purchasing goods. (noun)
Mother: A female parent. (noun)
Name: A word given at birth by which we are known. (noun)
Own: Something that belongs to someone. (verb)
Party: A group of people gathered together to have enjoyment. (noun)
Party hats: Special brightly coloured head gear to wear at parties. (noun)
Possess: To have something and to keep it. (verb)
Present: An item that is given to someone else, normally for a special occasion (same as gift). (noun)
Priority: To bring to the front of other objects, or to increase the importance of someone. (noun)
Quiet: Little or no noise. (adjective)
Races: Games involving running and competition. (noun)
Radio: A means of broadcasting words and music. (noun)
Receive: To be given something and to accept it. (verb)
Recite: To speak out loud from memory. (verb)
Restaurant: A building where food is prepared, sold and eaten. (noun)
Ribbon: Thin piece of brightly coloured fabric that is used to decorate a present. (noun)
Singe: To mildly burn something. (verb)
Star: A shining light in the sky or a person with shining and outstanding qualities. (noun)
Statue: A shape that does not move. (noun)
Surprise: An unexpected event. (noun)
Teenager: A person aged between 13 and 19 years old. (noun)
Television: A visual form of entertainment. (noun)
Toys: Objects to stimulate children's imagination when playing. (noun)
Treasure: A valuable object that is greatly coveted and admired. (noun)
Visit: To go and see someone or something. (verb)
Wish: Something that you want to happen and ask for when blowing out candles on a birthday cake. (noun)
Wrapped: When a present has been covered in paper. (adjective)
Wrapping paper: Brightly coloured paper that is used to cover a present (same as gift wrap). (noun)
Year: 365 days or 366 days in a leap year. (noun)
Zero: Absolutely nothing. (noun)
Zoo: An area where animals live and are contained so people can safely go and observe them. (noun)

Vocabulary Flashcards for Birthday Words

The following ESL birthday vocabulary flashcards have been made so you can download them and use them at home or wherever you need to. Just click on the picture or following link and you will be able to save a copy of them to your own computer.

ESL birthday vocabulary flashcards

Spoken Birthday Vocabulary

There are now two recordings of the ESL birthday vocabulary for you to use. The first is just the vocabulary being spoken by a native English speaker. In the second the flashcards are shown at the same time as the words are spoken so you can see the word and hear the correct pronunciation. Listen as many times as you need to. 

ESL Birthday Vocabulary Exercises

Exercise 1 – Correct Definition

In this ESL birthday vocabulary exercise you need to choose the best option (A-D) that matches the word given in each question. Then you can use the get score button to see how many you got correct.

ESL Birthday Vocabulary Definitions

Choose the correct definition for the birthday vocabulary in this quiz.

1) What is the definition of Anticipation?

    A) The act of looking forward and being excited about an event.
    B) A soft rubber shape with an entrance into which air is blown, secured and used as a party decoration.
    C) Lots of movement.
    D) A vehicle on four wheels that transports people to different venues.

2) What is the definition of Decorate?

    A) An appointment to meet someone, or the specific day that something happens.
    B) A solid piece of furniture for sitting on.
    C) To make something look nice and pretty.
    D) People linked through birth.

3) What is the definition of Flowers?

    A) A space where plants grow and there are green grassy areas for playing.
    B) The stems and coloured petals from plants.
    C) Potatoes cooked and finely sliced with various flavours added (US English).
    D) A party where people dance to music.

4) What is the definition of Gift wrap?

    A) Brightly coloured paper that is used to cover a present (same as wrapping paper).
    B) The tokens used for purchasing goods.
    C) Soft sugar mixed to a paste with liquid and spread on the top of cakes (same as frosting).
    D) A flying machine that is lifted from the ground by rotating blades.

5) What is the definition of Surprise?

    A) Games involving running and competition.
    B) To bring to the front of other objects, or to increase the importance of someone.
    C) Something that you want to happen and ask for when blowing out candles on a birthday cake.
    D) An unexpected event.

Score =

Correct answers:

Exercise 2 – Correct Meaning

Now for this ESL birthday vocabulary exercise you need to choose the best option (A-D) that matches the definition given in each question. You can see how well you did by clicking the get score button.

ESL Birthday Vocabulary Identification of Meaning

Choose the word that matches the definition given in each of the five questions in this quiz.

1) What is the meaning of the following definition: Brightly coloured paper that is used to cover a present (same as gift wrap)?

    A) Teenager
    B) Zoo
    C) Wrapping paper
    D) Treasure

2) What is the meaning of the following definition: Growing in knowledge and wisdom as someone gets older?

    A) Maturity
    B) Idol
    C) Radio
    D) Mother

3) What is the meaning of the following definition: The mother or father of someone’s mother or father?

    A) Icing
    B) Grandparent
    C) Jump
    D) Juice

4) What is the meaning of the following definition: To make something look nice and pretty?

    A) Celebrate
    B) Games
    C) Crips
    D) Decorate

5) What is the meaning of the following definition: To send air out of your mouth to stop candles from burning?

    A) Appreciate
    B) Blow out
    C) Chair
    D) Bow

Score =

Correct answers:

Exercise 3 – Identify Picture

This ESL birthday vocabulary exercise has some pictures below and you need to decide which option (A-D) in each question best matches the indicated picture. Again there is a get score button so you can see how well you did.

ESL Birthday Vocabulary Picture Descriptions

Identify the best description for each of the images (A-E) given above that correspond to the five questions in this quiz.

1) Which description best describes picture A given above?

    A) Singe
    B) Chocolate
    C) Star
    D) Year

2) Which description best describes picture B given above?

    A) Letter
    B) Restaurant
    C) Juice
    D) Blow out

3) Which description best describes picture C given above?

    A) Father
    B) Jump
    C) Health
    D) Goodie bags

4) Which description best describes picture D given above?

    A) date
    B) Garden
    C) Balloon
    D) Excitement

5) Which description best describes picture E given above?

    A) Baby
    B) Jelly
    C) Crips
    D) Cake

Score =

Correct answers:

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