hermano mayor
/eɾmano maʝoɾ/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for big bro is hermano mayor.
The phrase is used to refer to a brother who is older than the speaker. The term hermano itself is an informal way to refer to a brother.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of hermano (brother) and mayor (older/greater).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the regional variation hermanote is used to refer to a big brother.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to big brothers or older siblings in the plural, you must pluralize both the noun and the adjective: hermanos mayores.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾmano maʝoɾ/
Did you know?
- Spanish once used the word fradre to mean 'brother', which is a close relative of the English word 'frater' and 'fraternity', but it was eventually replaced by hermano.
- The Spanish word hermano shares a common root with the English word 'germane'. Both originate from the Latin word germānus, which originally described siblings born of the same parents.
- While mayor means 'older' in this phrase, it is the same word used to describe the 'mayor' of a city in English. This is because both terms derive from the Latin word for 'greater'.
Examples in context
- Mi hermano mayor me ayuda con mis estudiosMy big brother helps me with my studies
- Me siento afortunado de tener un hermano mayor tan dedicadoI feel fortunate to have such a dedicated big brother
- ¡Hola, hermano mayor! ¿Vamos a ver una película hoy?Hey, big bro! Are we going to watch a movie today?
- Mi hermano mayor es muy alto.My big bro is very tall.
- ¿Cómo está tu hermano mayor?How is your big bro?
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are talking about their family at a cafe.
- Alejandro¿Vas a visitar a tu hermano mayor este fin de semana?Are you going to visit your big bro this weekend?
- MaríaSí, quiero verlo pronto.Yes, I want to see him soon.
- AlejandroQué bueno, dile hola de mi parte.That's good, say hello to him for me.
- MaríaGracias, Alejandro, se lo diré.Thanks, Alejandro, I'll tell him.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hermano, mayor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
