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 |
The terms for "bro" in Spanish 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 father and the child's godfather.
Which one should you use?
The term broder is a phonetic Spanish spelling of the English word "brother" used as slang.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The terms pibe, mano, broder and pana are all informal or slang. The word compadre can range from a colloquial way to address a friend to a formal term for a godfather's peer.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Spanish speakers use many different words for "bro" depending on where they are. In Spain, tío and colega are common. In Mexico, you might hear the affectionate cuate for a close friend or mano, which is a common slang shortening of compadre. In Argentina, chabón is widely used. In Cuba, asere is a popular term. In the Caribbean, specifically in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, pana is a friendly term meaning buddy or friend. In Costa Rica and other Central American countries, broder is frequently employed.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms of "bro" are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/komˈpadɾe/
Did you know?
- The Argentine slang pibe is actually a loanword from the Italian word pivello, which referred to a young man.
- In Spain, the word tío, which literally means 'uncle', is used as a general term for 'bro' regardless of whether the person is actually a relative.
- The term pana used in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic is believed by some to be derived from the English word 'partner'.
Examples in context
- Tío, ¿cómo decías que te apellidas?Bro, what's your last name again?This sentence shows how to use tío as an informal way to address someone.Tatoeba #13882060 by Seael, translation #13882057 by piterkeo
- Él es mi compadre desde la infancia.He has been my bro since childhood.
- Gracias por todo, compadre.Thanks for everything, bro.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are chatting about a mutual friend.
- DanielMira, ahí viene mi compadre.Look, here comes my bro.
- Lucía¿El chico nuevo del trabajo?The new guy from work?
- DanielSí, es un gran compadre.Yes, he is a great bro.
- LucíaParece que es muy simpático.He seems very nice.
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.
