hermano
/eɾˈmano/
The English phrase 'bruv' can be translated into Spanish as hermano.
The term refers to a brother or a close male friend. While hermano is the standard way to express this, other colloquial terms exist depending on the specific nuance you want to convey, such as colega for a buddy or pal or pana for a mate.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term pana is used in some Hispanic countries to convey the meaning of bruv or mate. In both Spain and Latin America, the term colega is a widely used colloquialism meaning buddy or pal.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾˈmano/
Did you know?
- The English word 'germane', meaning relevant or closely related, shares the exact same Latin root as hermano.
- In Spain, using colega to mean 'bruv' can sometimes carry a subtle, slightly condescending tone depending on the context.
- In some Latin American countries, you might hear mano as a shortened, very informal version of hermano to mean 'bruv'.
Examples in context
- ¡Ey, chaval! ¿Qué tal estás?Hey, bruv! How are you?
- ¡Oye, colega! Tenemos que vernos pronto.Hey, buddy! We need to meet up soon.
- ¿Cómo estás, pana? ¿Quieres salir a dar una vuelta?How are you, mate? Do you want to go out for a spin?
- Él es mi hermano.He is my brother.
- No te preocupes, hermano.Don't worry, bro.
- ¿Qué pasa, hermano?What's up, bro?
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are meeting up at a cafe.
- Elena¡Hola, hermano! Qué bueno verte.Hey, bruv! Great to see you.
- AlejandroHola, Elena. Yo también me alegro.Hi, Elena. I'm glad too.
- Elena¿Quieres pedir algo de tomar, hermano?Do you want to order a drink, bruv?
- AlejandroSí, un café sería perfecto.Yes, a coffee would be perfect.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hermano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hermano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
