Interestingly, the word “papá” is an exception, and it is considered a masculine noun even though it ends in -A. Basically, if we make a simple change at the end of the word, we will have two words with different meanings. As for grammatical gender, words that end in the letter -A such as “ Mamá, Nieta, Hija” and “ Abuela” are considered feminine nouns, whereas those that end in -O such as “ Abuelo, Nieto, Hijo” and “Tío” are masculine nouns. In order to describe your family in Spanish, first it’s necessary to understand that family members are common nouns, that is, they undergo changes of gender and number. That said, when it comes to something simple like one’s brother, the most basic terms are usually the best.īut that’s not to say that there aren’t still a variety of options for Spanish-speaking people across the world.Gender and plural of family members in Spanish The gender and plural of nouns in Spanish The fact that Spanish is talked so widely in so many parts of the world goes to show why it has such an extensive range of slang terms. The Spanish simply get this by shortening their word for brother.Īgain, this one is used throughout most Spanish-speaking countries.Īs with manito, it can often be used to mean a younger brother, but it generally just means any brother.Īnd, like with most other terms for brother, it can also be taken to mean a close friend in many cases. Thus, mano is born, as is manito that we mentioned earlier. So, as I mentioned, the standard Spanish word for brother is hermano.Īs is standard practice in any language, simply shortening key standard words like this is a ripe source for slang. More broadly, though, across the Spanish speaking world, the term just means a brother or fraternal twin. In Mexican slang, the word cuate can also mean a buddy or a friend. It’s worth remembering that fraternal twins are only as alike as any two siblings would be. It is used to refer to any of your brothers, even if they were not your twin or even a twin at all. However, again, that term has since taken on a slang meaning of its own. It can also mean a close friend, again, in the same way that virtually any word for “brother” can.īut it is mostly used to indicate a literal blood-related relationship between two people.Ĭuate is, itself, a standard Spanish term just meaning fraternal twin. This slang is primarily used in Mexico, though you’re likely to be understood in most Spanish-speaking countries if you use it. “He’s my carnal,” you might say in Spanish, for example. This is not to be confused with the term as it is used in English to mean physical desire. Thus, the relationship between the two is carnal. They are blood-related, and their ties are in the blood. The sense is that meat involves a lot of blood, and this is how brothers are connected. You may, at first, be surprised to learn that this is the origin of the term carnal, meaning brother. If you’re at all familiar with Spanish, you may know that carne is the word for meat in the language. Let’s look at the origins of these terms, now. In terms of an equivalent slang term for an older brother, though, there really isn’t one that is broadly used. This is the diminutive term for sibling and is more of a slang term than the simple hermano. This is really the only specific, broadly used Spanish term to refer to one’s older siblings.Ĭonversely, older brothers might refer to their younger brothers or sisters as manito or manita. In Spanish, hermano mayor means older brother. What do Spanish call their older brother? They can often, inherently, mean both a biological sibling and a close friend. However, as with most languages, these two terms can very often become blurred in and of themselves. This one really mostly means a biological brother to the exclusion of all else. This one is again very common in Mexico but is used widely throughout Spanish-speaking countries as well. So, really, this one can also mean brother in certain contexts. It means a fraternal twin, so, in other words, a twin brother. Here, it can be used, either way, to mean your actual brother or a very close friend. That said, it is most commonly used in Mexico. Whether you are in Spain, Mexico, or just about any Spanish-speaking nation across the world, the word carnal will be understood to mean a brother. If not a literal blood connection, then simply a friendship that runs so deep that the connection may as well be one of blood. In either case, the implied meaning is one of a blood connection. This is most commonly used to refer to someone’s biological brother, but it can also mean someone who is so close they are like your brother. The most common form of Spanish slang for brother is carnal. What do Spanish call their older brother?.
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