Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| compadre | /komˈpadɾe/ | masculine |
| broder | /bɾodeɾ/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| tío | /ˈtio/ | masculine |
| pibe | /ˈpibe/ | masculine |
| mano | /ˈmano/ | masculine |
These terms are used to refer to a male comrade, a friend or someone who shares one's ideals.
What does it mean word for word?
The word compadre literally means 'co-father', which refers to the relationship between a child's parents and their godparents.
Which one should you use?
While compadre can be used as a casual term for a friend, it carries a more formal or traditional weight of spiritual kinship compared to slang terms like broder.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Terms like pibe and mano are considered slang. The term broder is a slang phonetic adaptation of the English word 'brother'. In informal settings, colega (which means colleague) can also be used to refer to a close friend or buddy.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations are common: in Argentina, pibe is a popular term for bro or dude. In Spain, tío is a very common colloquial way to address a friend or a person, similar to 'dude' or 'bro'. In Mexico, vato is used informally to refer to a close friend and mano is a common slang shortening of compadre used in certain dialects. The term carnal is primarily used in Mexico to signify a strong bond. Colega is also common in Spain and some Latin American countries.
How do you pronounce it?
/komˈpadɾe/
When do people say it?
In Spanish, hermano literally means brother and is used to emphasize a deep bond. Similarly, carnal signifies a strong bond similar to that between brothers.
Did you know?
- The Mexican term carnal comes from the word for 'flesh', implying that the friend is as close as a blood relative.
- The Argentinian slang term pibe actually originates from the Italian word 'pivello', meaning a young man.
- Using colega to mean 'bro' in Spain transforms a professional term for a work associate into an informal term for a close buddy.
Examples in context
- Tío, ¿cómo decías que te apellidas?Bro, what's your last name again?This sentence shows how to use tío when addressing a friend.Tatoeba #13882060 by Seael, translation #13882057 by piterkeo
- ¿Qué onda, carnal?What's up, bro?
- Nos vemos luego, colega.See you later, bro.
- Él es mi compadre de toda la vida.He is my lifelong bro.
- Ese hombre es un buen compadre.That man is a good bro.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are talking about a mutual friend.
- AlejandroMi compadre me ayudó con la mudanza.My bro helped me with the move.
- MaríaQué bueno que tengas un amigo así.It's great that you have a friend like that.
- AlejandroSí, él es un verdadero compadre.Yes, he is a true bro.
- MaríaDale un saludo de mi parte.Give him a greeting from me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bro” translations and entries compadre, tío, pibe, mano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries compadre, pibe, tío, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
