cuñado
/kuˈɲado/
The Spanish word for brother-in-law is cuñado.
Cuñado is the general term used to refer to the brother of one's spouse or the husband of one's sibling.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, which uses different words for 'brother-in-law' and 'sister-in-law' based on the gender of the person, Spanish uses the gendered endings -o and -a of the single word cuñado to distinguish them. For example, the masculine form cuñado refers to a brother-in-law, while the feminine form cuñada refers to a sister-in-law.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form is cuñada (sister-in-law). The masculine plural form cuñados is used to refer to a group of brothers-in-law or a mixed-gender group of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
How do you pronounce it?
/kuˈɲado/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, calling someone a cuñado can be a playful insult to imply they are a 'know-it-all' who offers unsolicited advice at family gatherings.
- The word cuñado shares an ancient root with the English word 'cognate', both coming from the Latin 'cognatus' meaning 'born together'.
- While 'brother-in-law' sounds formal in English, calling someone your cuñado in Spanish can be used colloquially to refer to a close male friend who feels like family.
Examples in context
- Tengo un cuñado muy amable.I have a very kind brother-in-law.
- Mi cuñado es arquitecto.My brother-in-law is an architect.
- ¿Cómo se llama tu cuñado?What is your brother-in-law's name?
- Voy a cenar con mi cuñado.I am going to have dinner with my brother-in-law.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are talking about family at a cafe.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿conoces a mi cuñado?Daniel, do you know my brother-in-law?
- DanielNo, no lo conozco.No, I don't know him.
- ElenaEs un hombre muy simpático.He is a very nice man.
- DanielQué bueno, espero conocerlo pronto.That's good, I hope to meet him soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cuñado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuñado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
