hermana
/eɾˈmana/feminine
The Spanish word for sister is hermana.
Hermana is the standard term for a woman or girl who has the same parents as someone else. You can also use the diminutive form hermanita to refer to a little sister or to express affection.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of hermana is hermanas. The masculine form of the word is hermano, and the mixed-gender plural form is hermanos.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾˈmana/
Did you know?
- The Latin root of hermana is germāna, which is the same ancestor as the English word 'germane'.
- The diminutive hermanita is frequently used by adults to refer to their older sisters as a way of showing tenderness or playfulness, regardless of age.
- In some Latin American slang, the term manita is used as a shorthand for hermanita to address a close female friend.
Examples in context
- Yo soy tu hermana.I'm your sister.Tatoeba #1982877 by marcelostockle, translation #1979740 by CM
- Esa es mi hermana.That's my sister.Tatoeba #9679363 by Shishir, translation #2251101 by CK
- Odio a mi hermana.I hate my sister.Tatoeba #9703943 by stormy_clau, translation #2569587 by Hybrid
- Tengo una hermana maravillosa.I have an amazing sister.
- ¡Hola, hermanita! ¿Quieres jugar conmigo?Hi, little sister! Do you want to play with me?
- Mi prima y yo somos como hermanas.My cousin and I are like sisters.
- 684 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about their families at a cafe.
- Daniel¿Tienes alguna hermana?Do you have a sister?
- SofíaSí, tengo una hermana mayor.Yes, I have an older sister.
- Daniel¡Qué bien! ¿Cómo se llama tu hermana?That's great! What is your sister's name?
- SofíaSe llama Elena.Her name is Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries hermana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hermana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
