Parents, grandparents, cousins, in-laws and step-family, with pronunciation. Practice right here.
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Close family members in Spanish
A masculine plural covers a mixed group: los padres are your parents, los hermanos your brothers and sisters, los hijos your sons and daughters.
In everyday speech most people say mamá and papá. Keep the accent: papa is a potato.
la familiafamily · lah fah-MEE-lyah
los padresparents · lohs PAH-drehs
la madremother · lah MAH-dreh
el padrefather · el PAH-dreh
el hijoson · el EE-hoh
la hijadaughter · lah EE-hah
los hijoschildren (sons and daughters) · lohs EE-hohs
el hermanobrother · el ehr-MAH-noh
la hermanasister · lah ehr-MAH-nah
los hermanossiblings · lohs ehr-MAH-nohs
el esposohusband · el ehs-POH-soh
la esposawife · lah ehs-POH-sah
Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in Spanish
Most family words swap -o for -a: abuelo / abuela, tío / tía, primo / prima, sobrino / sobrina.
los abuelosgrandparents · lohs ah-BWEH-lohs
el abuelograndfather · el ah-BWEH-loh
la abuelagrandmother · lah ah-BWEH-lah
el nietograndson · el NYEH-toh
la nietagranddaughter · lah NYEH-tah
el tíouncle · el TEE-oh
la tíaaunt · lah TEE-ah
el primocousin (male) · el PREE-moh
la primacousin (female) · lah PREE-mah
el sobrinonephew · el soh-BREE-noh
la sobrinaniece · lah soh-BREE-nah
In-laws in Spanish
Spanish has its own word for each in-law, with no "-in-law" ending: suegro, cuñado, yerno, nuera.
el suegrofather-in-law · el SWEH-groh
la suegramother-in-law · lah SWEH-grah
el cuñadobrother-in-law · el koo-NYAH-doh
la cuñadasister-in-law · lah koo-NYAH-dah
el yernoson-in-law · el YEHR-noh
la nueradaughter-in-law · lah NWEH-rah
Step-family, half-siblings and godparents in Spanish
Step-relatives end in -astro or -astra: padrastro, hermanastra. Half-siblings are medio hermano and media hermana.
Godparents, padrino and madrina, are close family in many Spanish-speaking homes.
el padrastrostepfather · el pah-DRAHS-troh
la madrastrastepmother · lah mah-DRAHS-trah
el hijastrostepson · el ee-HAHS-troh
la hijastrastepdaughter · lah ee-HAHS-trah
el hermanastrostepbrother · el ehr-mah-NAHS-troh
la hermanastrastepsister · lah ehr-mah-NAHS-trah
el medio hermanohalf-brother · el MEH-dyoh ehr-MAH-noh
la media hermanahalf-sister · lah MEH-dyah ehr-MAH-nah
el padrinogodfather · el pah-DREE-noh
la madrinagodmother · lah mah-DREE-nah
More family words in Spanish
Watch the false friend: los parientes are your relatives, not your parents. Describe them with adjectives: mi abuela es muy simpática.
el bebébaby · el beh-BEH
el gemelotwin · el heh-MEH-loh
el bisabuelogreat-grandfather · el bee-sah-BWEH-loh
la bisabuelagreat-grandmother · lah bee-sah-BWEH-lah
los parientesrelatives · lohs pah-RYEN-tehs
el novioboyfriend · el NOH-byoh
la noviagirlfriend · lah NOH-byah
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Family members in Spanish: the full list
Every family word on this page with its pronunciation.
Quick answer:family is la familia, parents is los padres, mother is la madre, father is el padre, son is el hijo, daughter is la hija, children (sons and daughters) is los hijos, brother is el hermano, sister is la hermana, siblings is los hermanos, husband is el esposo, and wife is la esposa.
Chart of family members in Spanish with English meanings, from la madre (mother) to la novia (girlfriend). Download the chart · Printable worksheet · Save to PinterestFamily tree in Spanish: el abuelo and la abuela, el padre and la madre, el tío and la tía, and yo with el hermano, la hermana, el primo and la prima. Download the image
Questions about family members in spanish
How do you say family members in Spanish?
Los miembros de la familia, or simply la familia. Mi familia is my family.
Does padres mean fathers or parents?
Usually parents: mis padres are my mother and father. The masculine plural covers a mixed group.
Madre or mamá?
Both mean mother. Mamá is the everyday word; madre is more formal or used when talking about someone's mother.
How do you say siblings in Spanish?
Los hermanos. It means brothers, or brothers and sisters together.
How do you say in-laws in Spanish?
Each has its own word: suegro and suegra (parents-in-law), cuñado and cuñada (brother- and sister-in-law), yerno (son-in-law) and nuera (daughter-in-law). All your in-laws together are tu familia política.
What does parientes mean?
Relatives. It's a false friend: parents is los padres.
How do you say grandmother and grandfather in Spanish?
La abuela and el abuelo; los abuelos are your grandparents. Abuelita and abuelito are affectionate.
How do you say cousin in Spanish?
El primo for a male cousin, la prima for a female cousin, and los primos for cousins.
How do you say husband and wife in Spanish?
El esposo and la esposa. You'll also hear el marido and, for wife, mi mujer.
