Knowing family-related vocabulary is a necessity for anyone learning Spanish, whether for travel or connecting with loved ones who speak the language. Hermana, hermanita, manita, and other words for “sister” are important Spanish words to know. They’re also key for connecting with Spanish speakers on a personal level, asking about their loved ones, and communicating with them informally using terms of endearment.
Strong familial bonds are a cornerstone of Latin American culture, which cannot be experienced through memorization of vocabulary alone. With Rosetta Stone Live Lessons, you’ll learn “sister” in Spanish and other family terms as native tutors discuss relationships and cultural values in a natural context.
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La hermana
While el hermano means ”brother,” la hermana in English means “sister.” La hermana is the most common way to say “sister,” and is often used with possessive adjectives in Spanish. Possessive adjectives are fundamental for discussing family relationships, as in common phrases like tu hermana (your sister) and mi hermana (my sister) in Spanish.
Here’s how to use hermana when talking about your own or another’s family:
- Mi hermana mayor es cirujana. = My older sister is a surgeon.
- Nuestra hermana vive en Londres. = Our sister lives in London.
- ¿Qué tal tu hermana? = How is your sister doing?
- ¿Cómo se llama su hermana menor? = What’s your younger sister’s name?
As demonstrated in the above examples, mayor and menor are used to distinguish between older and younger siblings.
La hermanita
La hermanita is another common way to say sister in Spanish, specifically when referring to a “little sister.” The Spanish suffixes -ito and -ita are diminutives, used with Spanish nouns to indicate that an object or person is little or young. This common Spanish suffix serves a second purpose, giving the word a lighter, more endearing tone.
Here’s how to use hermanita in context:
- No llores, hermanita. Todo va a estar bien. = Don’t cry, little sister. Everything is going to be OK.
- ¡Hola, hermanita! ¿Cómo te va? = Hi, little sister! How’s it going?
La cuñada
Extending beyond immediate family, there’s la cuñada, which refers to a sister-in-law in Spanish or the sister of one’s spouse.
Here’s how you can use it in a sentence:
- Voy a visitar a mi cuñada este fin de semana. = I’m going to visit my sister-in-law this weekend.
- Ayer fui a la playa con mi cuñada.= Yesterday I went to the beach with my sister-in-law.
To talk about your cuñada or your abuela (grandma), prima (cousin), or tía (aunt), you can quickly broaden your family-related vocabulary with the Rosetta Stone App.
2 ways to use ‘sister’ in Spanish colloquially for friends
Beyond its literal meaning, you may want to be familiar with how to say “sister” in Spanish as a casual form of address. Just as “sister” can be used informally for a friend in English, there are colloquial terms and Spanish slang words that can be used to address a close female friend in an affectionate way.
La manita
Used in Mexico and some Central American regions, la manita is a colloquial term that can refer to a close female friend, similar to how “sister” is used casually in English. It may already sound familiar to you since it comes from la mano, which means “hand.”
- ¿Qué onda, manita? Hace tiempo que no nos vemos. = What’s up, sister? Long time, no see.
- Órale pues. Te veo mañana, manita. = Ok then. I’ll see you tomorrow, sister.
La ñaña
La ñaña is often used colloquially in the Andean region of South America (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia) when talking to a close friend. It’s also used literally to refer to an actual sister, particularly in an affectionate manner.
- Tranquila, ñaña, siempre te protejo. = Don’t worry, sister, I’ll always protect you.
- ¡Oye, ñaña! ¿Qué tal tu día? = Hey, sister! How’s your day going?
From using -ita to talk about your little sister to knowing when to call a friend ñaña in Peru, developing a nuanced vocabulary is an essential step of how to learn Spanish. Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion provides a deeper learning experience than just memorization by immersing you in the language naturally, helping you navigate the different ways to say “sister” in Spanish confidently.
