Family Members in Spanish
Last reviewed on August 26, 2026.
The Spanish word for family is la familia, and most family members in Spanish come in matched masculine and feminine pairs: hijo / hija, hermano / hermana, tío / tía, abuelo / abuela. Learn one and you get the other for free — swap the final -o for an -a. This guide covers every core family word with pronunciation, the plural rule that surprises English speakers, and how to talk about your own family in a sentence.
Family Words in Spanish
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| mother | la madre / mamá | MAH-dreh |
| father | el padre / papá | PAH-dreh |
| son | el hijo | EE-hoh |
| daughter | la hija | EE-hah |
| brother | el hermano | ehr-MAH-noh |
| sister | la hermana | ehr-MAH-nah |
| husband | el esposo / marido | ehs-POH-soh |
| wife | la esposa / mujer | ehs-POH-sah |
| uncle | el tío | TEE-oh |
| aunt | la tía | TEE-ah |
| cousin | el primo / la prima | PREE-moh |
| grandfather | el abuelo | ah-BWEH-loh |
| grandmother | la abuela | ah-BWEH-lah |
| baby | el bebé | beh-BEH |
| boyfriend | el novio | NOH-byoh |
| girlfriend | la novia | NOH-byah |
The Plural Rule: Mis Tíos Means Aunt and Uncle
This is the rule that catches almost every learner. When a family group contains at least one male, Spanish uses the masculine plural for the whole group:
- mis padres — my parents (not “my fathers”)
- mis hijos — my children, or my sons
- mis hermanos — my siblings, or my brothers
- mis tíos — my aunt and uncle, or my uncles
- mis abuelos — my grandparents
- mis primos — my cousins (mixed group)
If you need to be unambiguous, say it in full: mis hermanas (my sisters, all female) or mis dos hermanos varones (my two brothers).
Step-Family and In-Laws
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| stepfather / stepmother | el padrastro / la madrastra |
| stepson / stepdaughter | el hijastro / la hijastra |
| stepbrother / stepsister | el hermanastro / la hermanastra |
| father-in-law / mother-in-law | el suegro / la suegra |
| son-in-law / daughter-in-law | el yerno / la nuera |
| brother-in-law / sister-in-law | el cuñado / la cuñada |
| nephew / niece | el sobrino / la sobrina |
| grandson / granddaughter | el nieto / la nieta |
| godfather / godmother | el padrino / la madrina |
| great-grandfather / great-grandmother | el bisabuelo / la bisabuela |
Note that yerno and nuera break the pattern — they are not a matched pair, so learn them separately.
How to Say “My”, “Your” and “His” Family
Spanish possessives agree with the number of the thing owned, not the owner: mi hermano (my brother) but mis hermanos (my brothers). Use mi/mis (my), tu/tus (your, informal), su/sus (his, her, your formal, their) and nuestro/nuestra/nuestros/nuestras (our).
The other common pattern uses de: el hermano de Marta — Marta’s brother. Spanish has no apostrophe-s, so possession is always built with de.
Talking About Your Family
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Tienes hermanos? | Do you have brothers or sisters? |
| Tengo dos hermanas y un hermano. | I have two sisters and one brother. |
| Soy hijo único / hija única. | I am an only child. |
| Mi hermano mayor vive en Madrid. | My older brother lives in Madrid. |
| Mi hermana menor tiene ocho años. | My younger sister is eight years old. |
| ¿Cómo se llama tu madre? | What is your mother’s name? |
| Estoy casado / casada. | I am married. |
| Somos una familia grande. | We are a big family. |
Use mayor and menor — not más grande or más pequeño — for older and younger siblings.
Regional and Affectionate Forms
Mamá and papá are the everyday words; madre and padre sound more formal or written. Diminutives are used constantly and warmly: abuelito (grandpa), hermanita (little sister), mijo / mija (a contraction of mi hijo / mi hija, used across Latin America as an affectionate “kid” or “dear”).
In Spain, tío and tía double as everyday slang for “dude” and “girl” (¡Hola, tío!) — a use you will rarely hear in Latin America.
Keep Learning
Each family word has its own guide with example sentences and FAQs: uncle in Spanish, aunt in Spanish, son in Spanish, daughter in Spanish, brother in Spanish, sister in Spanish, wife in Spanish, husband in Spanish, cousin in Spanish and grandfather in Spanish.
Ready for more? Try our Spanish greetings and courtesy phrases, brush up on gender and articles in Spanish, or browse all Spanish vocabulary lists with audio.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "family" in Spanish?
Family in Spanish is la familia, pronounced fah-MEE-lyah. It is a feminine noun.
Why does "mis tíos" mean aunt and uncle?
Spanish uses the masculine plural for any mixed group, so mis tíos covers an aunt-and-uncle pair, and mis hermanos can mean siblings of both sexes.
What is the difference between madre and mamá?
Madre is the neutral or formal word for mother; mamá is the warm everyday word, closer to "mom". The same pair applies to padre and papá.
How do you say "older brother" and "younger sister" in Spanish?
Use mayor and menor: mi hermano mayor (my older brother) and mi hermana menor (my younger sister).
How do you say "Marta’s brother" in Spanish?
Spanish has no apostrophe-s. You build possession with de: el hermano de Marta.