the sister in spanish

• Pronunciation

THE BEST SPANISH-ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Get more than a translation, written by experts, translate with confidence, spanish and english example sentences, examples for everything, regional translations, say it like a local.

Making educational experiences better for everyone.

Immersive learning for 25 languages

Marketplace for millions of educator-created resources

Fast, easy, reliable language certification

Fun educational games for kids

Comprehensive K-12 personalized learning

Trusted tutors for 300+ subjects

35,000+ worksheets, games, and lesson plans

Adaptive learning for English vocabulary

5 Different Ways to Say ‘Sister’ in Spanish

As you’ve probably already noticed, native Spanish speakers always make up new words for everything and ‘sister’ is no exception. So, as a result, a lot of people want to know what are some different words to say sister in Spanish .

There are different ways to say ‘sister’ in Spanish. The most common words that you can use in this context include:

• Sisterna 
• Mana / Manita

Spanish learners usually know ‘hermana’, which is the most common way of saying ‘sister’ in this language. However, in this article, I’ll explain in more detail the meanings of the terms I mentioned earlier and the situations in which people often use them. 

By learning these words, you’ll be able to understand casual conversations and also refer to your sister in a much more fun and creative way.

‘Hermana’ is the standard way of saying ‘sister’ in Spanish. Just like in English, you can specify if she’s the older or younger sister by adding the words ‘ mayor ’ and ‘ menor ’ after ‘hermana’. You can also add the adjective ‘media’ after ‘hermana’ to specify that she’s your half-sister.

(Possessive adjective) + [hermana] + (menor/mayor) + [complement]

Somos medias hermanas . We are half- sisters .

Mi hermana mayor tiene 18 años. My older sister is 18 years old.

Tu hermana menor se parece mucho a ti. Your younger sister looks a lot like you.

¿Cómo han estado tus hermanas ? How have your sisters been?

La hermana mayor de Polly vive en Argentina.  Polly’s big sister lives in Argentina. 

People also commonly use the variation ‘ hermanita ’ which means ‘ little sister ’ or ‘ baby sister ’, as a loving way to refer to them.

Vas a tener una hermanita . You’re gonna have a baby sister .

Cuida a tu hermanita . Take care of your little sister .

Take Note: In Spanish ‘hermanastra’ is the term that we use to call a step-sister. Although the English term sister-in-law has the word ‘sister’ in it, in Spanish, this word is translated as ‘cuñada’. 

Related Resources: 9 Terms to Call Your In-Laws in Spanish

Mexican people often use the feminine version of carnal to refer to their sisters. This word actually comes from a Latin term that describes two siblings related by blood. However, Mexican speakers also use ‘carnala’ as a way to call their very close female friends . 

Keep in mind that this is a slang word, so it’s meant to be used in very informal contexts. Here are some examples of how to use ‘carnala’ in Spanish. 

(Possessive adjective) + [Carnala] + [complement]

¿Cómo se llama tu carnala ? What’s your sis’ name?

Mi carnala ya va a entrar a la prepa. My sis is already going to high school.

Sara es la carnala de Ramiro. Sara is Ramiro’s sister .

Mexicans also use the variation ‘carnalita’, which is the diminutive of ‘carnala’, as a way to refer to their younger sisters or just as a more affectionate nickname.

A mi carnalita no le gusta el chocolate. My baby sister doesn’t like chocolate. 

Esa es la carnalita de Mateo.  That’s Mateo’s little sister . 

3. Mana / Manita

As you’ve probably already noticed, ‘mana’ and ‘manita’ are actually fragments of the words ‘hermana’ and its diminutive variation ‘hermanita’. As a result, these terms are the closest translations of ‘sis’ . ‘Mana’ and ‘manita’ are also very informal terms that women frequently use as a warm nickname for their female friends.

[Mana/manita] + [complement]

¿Cómo estás, manita ? How are you, sis ?

Cuéntame cómo te fue, mana . Tell me how it went, sis .

Mana , tengo algo que contarte. Sis , I have something to tell you.

In some Latin American countries such as Ecuador, Perú, Chile, people refer to their sisters by using the word ‘ñaña’ . This word originated from the Quechua language and alongside its masculine version ‘ñaño’, it’s an affectionate way people use to call their siblings. In some countries, it’s also used to refer to close friends.

(Possessive adjective) + [ñaña] + [complement]

Mi ñaña se llama Rosa. My sister’s name is Rosa.

Esos juguetes son de mi ñaña . Those are my sister’s toys.

Nuestra ñaña está en la escuela. Our sister is at school

5. Sisterna

Another slang term frequently used in some Latin American countries is ‘sisterna’ . This term has a fun nuance since it’s actually a play on words. The word ‘cisterna’ in Spanish refers to a big water deposit, just like cistern in English. However, people spell it with an ‘s’ instead of a ‘c’ as a reference to the English word ‘sister’. 

Here are some examples of how to apply this term. 

(Possessive adjective) + [sisterna]

Te quiero, sisterna . I love you, sis .

¿Qué onda, sisterna ? What’s up, sister ?

Le tengo que preguntar a mi sisterna . I’ll have to ask my sister .

Remember that this is a very informal term, so be sure to use it only in casual conversations.

Wrapping Up

Now that we’ve gone through some of the most common terms and nicknames that you can use to say ‘sister’ in Spanish, you have a bag of words to choose the best way to refer to your sister, depending on the type of relationship that you both have. 

Knowing these words may also be very useful if you live in a city with a dense population of Latinos and it’ll help you understand better the kinds of dynamics people have with their sisters.

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

Recent Posts

Contractions in Spanish: When to Use Del & Al

Del and al are contractions in Spanish that must be used with singular masculine nouns. Al is the contraction of the preposition a + el, whereas del is the contraction of the preposition de +...

Mexican Slang Words 101: Chido Meaning + Examples

In Mexican slang Spanish, chido is an adjective that describes that something or someone is cool, nice, pretty or good. In Mexico, chido is also used as an informal way to thank. Nuestro vecino es...

Pin It on Pinterest

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Translation of sister – English–Spanish dictionary

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

• While I struggled , my sister coasted through school with top grades .
• You're confusing me with my sister, - she's the one studying drama .
• I do like her - after all, she is my sister.
• Not content with having upset my parents , he then insulted my sister!
• I've got a family crisis on my hands - my 16-year-old sister is pregnant .

(Translation of sister from the Cambridge English-Spanish Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translation of sister | GLOBAL English–Spanish Dictionary

(Translation of sister from the GLOBAL English-Spanish Dictionary © 2020 K Dictionaries Ltd)

Translations of sister

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

call centre

a large office in which a company's employees provide information to its customers, or sell or advertise its goods or services, by phone

Varied and diverse (Talking about differences, Part 1)

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• English–Spanish    Noun Adjective
• GLOBAL English–Spanish    Noun
• Translations
• All translations

To add sister to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add sister to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Spanish translation of 'sister'

Examples of 'sister' in a sentence sister

Trends of sister

View usage for: All Years Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

Browse alphabetically sister

• sister city
• sister college
• sister company
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'S'

Related terms of sister

• baby sister
• full sister
• half-sister
• View more related words

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

1 Translation result for sister in Spanish

Sister noun.

Example sentences of sister noun

• • He has two sisters .
• • The sisters live in the convent.

Related phrases for sister

• half sister - media hermana,hermanastra
• sister-in-law - cuñada

Reverse translation for sister

English-Spanish translator

English to Spanish translator

Spanish to English translator

English to Spanish translation

Spanish to English dictionary

Learn English

English Vocabulary

English Grammar

Learn English by playing

English Grammar Quizzes

English Vocabulary Quizzes

Saved English translations

My English words

My English translations

My English mistakes

Stay Connected

• Get 14 Days Free
• Video Dictionary

How to say "sister" in Spanish

Clickable Example Sentences

Video examples.

Browse other useful Spanish words and phrases

Learn a language with music videos, movie scenes, inspiring talks, and more.

Want to unlock thousands of video lessons?

Voice speed

Text translation, source text, translation results, document translation, drag and drop.

Website translation

Enter a URL

Image translation

Translation of "Sister" into Spanish

hermana, hermana, hermano are the top translations of "Sister" into Spanish. Sample translated sentence: She is not as beautiful as her older sister. ↔ Ella no es tan bella como su hermana mayor.

Title of respect for an adult female member of a religious or fraternal order. [..]

English-Spanish dictionary

She is not as beautiful as her older sister .

Ella no es tan bella como su hermana mayor.

Show algorithmically generated translations

Automatic translations of " Sister " into Spanish

Translations with alternative spelling

a female member of a religious community; a nun. [..]

attributively: of an entity that has a special relationship with another [..]

a nun; a female member of a religious community

The other sisters will take over.

Las otras sores se harán cargo.

Less frequent translations

• hermana mayor
• hermana menor
• la enfermera
• afro-americana

Images with "Sister"

Phrases similar to "sister" with translations into spanish.

• soul sister
• I have one brother and one sister Tengo un hermano y una hermana
• look after your sister cuida a tu hermana · cuidar a su hermana · cuidar a tu hermana · cuide a su hermana · cuiden a su hermana
• Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco Instituto de las Hijas de María Auxiliadora
• give my regards to your sister saludos a tu hermana
• Two Mules for Sister Sara Two Mules for Sister Sara
• half-brother and sister medio hermano · medio hermanos
• I see my sister every Tuesday veo a mi hermana todos los martes

Translations of "Sister" into Spanish in sentences, translation memory

Free resources to help you enjoy learning Spanish quickly.

• Spanish 101
• Spanish Grammar Video & Quizzes
• Flashcards & Drag and Match
• Alphabet & Pronunciation
• Spanish Dialogues with English
• Word of the Day
• Phrase of the Day
• Verb of the Day

Hundreds of Spanish worksheets from which to choose. Full list of teacher resources here.

• Wacky Word Search
• Sentence Scramble

Use our free online Spanish test to estimate your level of fluency.

• Spanish Placement Test
• Interactive Quizzes
• Drag-N-Match! Quizzes

We offer free self-study courses for students of all levels.

• Travel Spanish
• Spanish for Work
• Medical Spanish
• Spanish for Business

Games and activities featuring high-quality images and audio. Learning Spanish should be fun.

• Wake Up the Box
• Tank Battle Game
• Paint Gunner
• Cargo Bridge
• Wonder-Putt Mini Golf

Spanish resources for kids of all ages.

• Music Videos
• Flashcards & Drag-N-Match!
• Short Stories
• Clinical Interview
• Past Medical History
• Medical Vocabulary
• Dialogue Flashcards
• Review of Systems

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

• Meeting People
• Asking Questions
• Expressing Obligation
• Expressing Possession
• Making Comparisons
• Resources for Learning Spanish
• Daily Spanish Resources
• Teacher Resources & Worksheets

Verb Conjugator

On your own.

• Online Spanish Tests
• Spanish Courses

Kids Corner

• Free Spanish Games
• Spanish for Kids
• Spanish Medical Dictionary
• Conversational Spanish
• Spanish/English Dictionary
• Spanish Sentences Maker
• Spanish Games
• Language schools

Spanish Word for sister -->   -->

"sister" in Spanish

Learn spanish, spanish for beginners, learning through videos.

Family Members

Spanish vocabulary.

Immediate Family members in Spanish

padre: father madre: mother hijo: son hija: daughter esposo: husband esposa: wife padres: parents hermano: brother hermana: sister

Children will often call their father papá and their mother mamá . When saying or writing these words in Spanish, remember to put the accent on the final syllable or you will be saying another word. See what we wrote about this here: Dad, Pope or Potato – Papa Papá

The generic name for parents in Spanish is padres . Don't use Parientes which means relatives .

• Mis padres viven en España. (My parents live in Spain)
• Tengo parientes en Francia. (I have relatives in France)

The generic name for brothers and sisters in Spanish is hermanos . You don't need to say hermanos y hermanas as we do in English because the word hermanos includes them both.

Relatives and Extended Family in Spanish

tatarabuelo: great great grandfather tatarabuela: great great grandmother bisabuelo: great grandfather bisabuela: great grandmother abuelos: grandparents abuelo: grandfather abuela: grandmother nietos: grandchildren nieto: grandson nieta: granddaughter bisnieto: great grandson bisnieta: great granddaughter

tío: tio tía: tia primos: cousins primo: cousin (male) prima: cousin (female) sobrino: nephew sobrina: niece

The generic name for uncles and aunts in Spanish is tios . You don't need to say tios y tias as we do in English because the word tios includes them both. The same rule applies for nephews and nieces ( sobrinos ).

The In-Laws in Spanish

The in-laws are the members of the family of your spouse (the person you are married to) or via a marriage in your family:

suegro: father-in-law suegra: mother-in-law yerno: son-in-law nuera: daughter-in-law cuñado: brother-in-law cuñada: sister-in-law

The Family Mix

In some countries a person gets married more than once. These are the terms used to describe the "new" members of the family when someone gets remarried.

padrastro: stepfather madrastra: stepmother hijastro: stepson hijastra: stepdaughter hermanastro: stepbrother hermanastra: stepsister

Sometimes one of your parents gets married again and they have more children. One of the parents of these children is your biological father/mother. These children are your:

medio hermano: half-brother medio hermana: half-sister

Family Members in Spanish Relationship Chart

Next Activities

Try our game where you need to translate Family members from English to Spanish .

Try our games to practice this vocabulary about family members: Juego 1 - Juego 2

We have another game with an image of a family tree where you need to choose the correct relationship between different members of that family.

Ver nuestra información en español acerca de los Miembros de la familia.

If you found this Spanish Vocabulary about Members of the Family useful, let others know about it.

Spanish Reading Passages

Improve your Spanish with our reading passages. There are different topics for beginner to advanced level students. There is also a special section for Spanish teachers.

SEE OUR SPANISH READING TEXTS

Spanish Verb Lists

A list of common verbs in Spanish with their conjugation in different tenses and example sentences. There are also interactive games to practice each verb.

SEE OUR LIST OF SPANISH VERBS

Connect with us

How to discuss your family members in Spanish - from tíos to tatara tatarabuelas

Marco Monroy

They say family is everything, so will learning how to talk about your family members in Spanish give you full mastery of the language?

Erm… not quite. But it can get you close! While families are incredibly important across cultures all over the world, the concept of family takes on a whole new meaning in Spanish-speaking cultures.

Not only do Spanish speakers tend to have more siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles, but they also tend to be a lot closer with their extended family. If you come from the United States–or any other country that speaks a Germanic language –you’ll likely have a very different perspective on all things family.

Learning to talk about family members in Spanish can help you:

• Describe your family more easily.
• Make deeper connections with people you meet by asking them about their families.
• Give people more details about your background .
• Understand more Spanish phrases and idioms.
• Earn a deeper appreciation for Spanish family culture.

As you can see, learning to talk about family in Spanish has many benefits that go beyond just you and your family. There’s a lot to cover with this blog, so let’s get started!

Family in Spanish

No matter how large or complicated your family may be, we’ll provide you with a full family members in Spanish list. So, whether you come from a traditional family or a modern family , we promise we’ve got you covered!

But first things first: let’s talk about how to actually say family in Spanish. Luckily, you probably won’t have to spend more than a couple of minutes learning it!

Interested in your family history?

Immediate family members in spanish.

If all you really care about is how to say mom in Spanish, then this section’s for you. If you’re very close with your nuclear family, you’ll want to know how to talk about your parents and siblings in Spanish as you make your way through the Spanish-speaking countries .

Extended family in Spanish

As you may have heard, Hispanic cultures tend to be much closer with their extended family. A recent study on Mexicans and Puerto Ricans living in the United States concluded that Latinos have a higher incidence of coresidence with and involvement in the lives of extended family members.

As you’ll see later on in this article, big families are a big part of Hispanic cultures. So, even if you’re not super close with all your relatives, learning how to talk about your extended family in Spanish is definitely a great idea!

Family members by marriage - Step and in-laws

Getting married is one of the biggest decisions you can make in your life. And, as they say, you don’t just marry the person–you marry their whole family. So, whether you’re about to tie the knot, or just can’t help but picture yourself living your best married life, here is what you should call your in-laws in Spanish.

Other family-related terms in Spanish

Beyond just family members, there are plenty of family-related words that you should learn when talking about families in Spanish. These words will help you express yourself more naturally and accurately when discussing anything related to your or anyone else’s family!

Nicknames for family members in Spanish

If you’ve been studying Spanish for a while or have spent any time in a Spanish-speaking country, you probably already know that Spanish speakers love using nicknames. From terms of endearment to Spanish slang words , informal speech is a quick way to show closeness and affection with your family and friends.

Talking about family in day to day situations

Learning all the family members in Spanish can take a while, especially if you’re just starting to learn . However, there’s no reason not to start using a few words right away. Here are some sample questions and answers that you can use, whether you want to learn more about someone’s family or want to share details about your fam!

Oh, and since many of us love our furry family just like the rest of our family, we’ve included a Q&A on how to talk about your pets in Spanish! Check out our blog on animals in Spanish to learn about over 200 different animals!

Common conversation

The questions and answers above weren’t a part of a full conversation. If you’re itching to see what a typical conversation about family could be like, here’s a sample. This would be an appropriate conversation between two people who just met and are starting to get to know each other, whether in a romantic way or just as friends!

Age is one of the most common things to mention when talking about your family. Of course, knowing the numbers in Spanish is a prerequisite to talking about age in Spanish. If you’re not feeling confident about your counting abilities in Spanish, head over to our numbers blog first to get a refresher!

Describing your family in Spanish

Once you’ve established the introductory facts such as the number of relatives and their age, the next step is to get even more descriptive. What are they like? Do they look like you? Is your family growing still? Here are a few examples of how to describe your family in Spanish, but feel free to get as creative as you’d like!

Family-related Spanish idioms

One of the most fun parts of learning a new language is acquiring all the wisdom and cultural tidbits that come from phrases and idioms. There are hundreds of popular family-related Spanish idioms, and we’ve included some of our favorites in the table below.

Videos to learn how to talk about family in Spanish

Meet my familia speaking about your family in spanish.

If this is your very first time learning about family in Spanish, then you will surely need to spend some time covering the basics. In addition to reviewing our vocabulary sheets above, you should watch a few introductory videos to help you nail down the pronunciation!

The following video goes over the most common family members and Spanish. Make sure to participate when requested so that you start getting comfortable with speaking about the family in Spanish!

Asking and Answering Family Questions in Spanish

If you’re at an intermediate Spanish level , you’re probably looking for something more intricate. You’re probably already having conversations and are perhaps even meeting people in Spanish . And what better way to get to know someone than by asking them about their family?

The following video covers some very helpful family questions you can ask someone. It also goes over how to answer some of these questions. Now you don’t have an excuse to get flustered next time someone asks about your family!

Learn Spanish Conversation | Family Members

If you’re a more advanced Spanish learner , then this is the video for you. Talking about your family members is a great way to practice indirect speech, and this casual conversation between two friends shows exactly that.

Put your listening skills to the test with the following conversation!

Cultural considerations when it comes to family in Spanish

1. families are much bigger.

It may be a stereotype, but it’s one that’s been proven true by many studies. According to Pew Research , Hispanic families in the US are the biggest of all race groups, on average.

So, don’t be surprised by the average size of a family in Latin America!

2. Gender roles are more defined

Although this has been changing in recent years, traditional gender roles are still very prevalent in Latin America . You’ll find that boys are often encouraged to go to college and start businesses while girls aren’t.

Thanks to feminist movements across Latin America, the importance of traditional gender roles is slowly fading. These days, it’s not uncommon for women to be successful in business and hold important corporate positions. However, there’s still a long way to go for gender equality, as only 4.2% of CEOs in Latin America were female as of 2019.

3. Children can live with parents until marriage

If you come from the United States, you’re probably used to the notion that children are supposed to move out of their parent's house when they go to college or when they turn 18. However, this is very different in Hispanic cultures.

Not only do many people in Latin America live with their parents through college, but many actually stay or move back in after graduation. Of course, this varies from family to family, but the expectation is that children are allowed to live with their parents until they get married.

4. Children are expected to care for their parents

In the United States, most adults are expected to plan for their retirement. Choosing when and how to retire is everyone’s personal decision, so you’re expected to save enough money to sustain the retirement lifestyle you envision for yourself.

In Latin America, this isn’t often the case. While children are usually allowed to live with their parents until they’re much older, they’re also expected to have a bigger role in caring for their parents once they reach retirement age.

Again, every family is different, so caring for parents can be anywhere from providing minor financial assistance, to having your mom live with you! It’s also worth noting that daughters share a larger responsibility –again, likely due to traditional gender norms.

Keep practicing to avoid losing your familiarity with Spanish!

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about all the family members in Spanish! We know that our list is quite extensive, so don’t try to rush your way through our family members in Spanish list . Just keep practicing the Spanish terms for family in your daily life and you’ll arrive at mastery in no time! If you enjoyed this blog, check out our Spanish blog for even more free Spanish study resources!

Related Articles

January 21, 2022

A dedicated guide to help you learn the Spanish alphabet quickly

October 25, 2021

5 Spanish songs that will help you learn Spanish fast

August 26, 2021

50 Spanish words and phrases to start learning Spanish

1-866-423-7548, find out more.

Fill in the form below and we’ll contact you to discuss your learning options and answer any questions you may have.

I have read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

• Privacy Policy
• Terms Of Use

• สมัคร / ล็อกอิน
• ความช่วยเหลือ

Air Force 1 x Tiffany & Co.

Air Force 1 เป็นที่รู้จักครั้งแรกในปี 1982 และสร้างนิยามใหม่ให้รองเท้าบาสเก็ตบอลตั้งแต่คอร์ทพื้นไม้ไปจนถึงพื้นคอนกรีต แถมยังเป็นสนีกเกอร์บาสเก็ตบอลคู่แรกที่ใช้ Nike Air แต่ความล้ำนวัตกรรมก็ยังต้องหลีกทางให้ความเป็นไอคอนในแนวสตรีทของรุ่นนี้