tía
/ˈtia/feminine
The Spanish word for "aunt" is tía.
tía is a noun used to describe a parent's sister or sister-in-law. In many Spanish-speaking countries, it is also used colloquially to refer to a woman or a girl, similar to 'girl' or 'woman' in English slang.
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
tías is the feminine plural form used to refer to a group consisting only of aunts. The masculine plural form tíos is used to refer to a mixed group of aunts and uncles. The term tía abuela refers to a great-aunt, specifically the sister of one's grandparent.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtia/
Did you know?
- The word tía is a direct descendant of the Ancient Greek word theía, which also meant 'aunt'.
- The phrase tío or tía is often used in Spain to express surprise or disbelief, similar to how an English speaker might use 'man' or 'dude' in 'Man, I can't believe it'.
- In some Latin American slang, particularly in Mexico, if someone says something is de tía, they might be implying it is old-fashioned or associated with an older generation.
Examples in context
- Es tu tía, ¿no?She's your aunt, isn't she?This sentence is useful for confirming someone's identity using tía.Tatoeba #10012150 by manufrutos, translation #8526839 by CH
- ¿Qué hace tu tía?What does your aunt do?This sentence is useful for asking about the occupation of a tía.Tatoeba #1403691 by marcelostockle, translation #17411 by CK
- Mi tía nos visitó.My aunt visited us.This sentence is useful for describing a visit made by a tía.Tatoeba #1680925 by termito2nd, translation #11275654 by Luornu
- titi Anaauntie Ana
- titi Lucyauntie Lucy
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofia are looking at a family photo.
- MateoQuién es ella en la foto?Who is she in the photo?
- SofíaElla es mi tía Elena.She is my aunt Elena.
- MateoTu tía vive en Madrid?Does your aunt live in Madrid?
- SofíaSí, vive allí desde hace años.Yes, she has lived there for years.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries tía, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tía, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
