prima
/ˈpɾima/
The Spanish word for girl cousin is prima.
prima refers specifically to a female relative who is the daughter of one's aunt or uncle.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of prima is primas, used when referring to multiple female cousins. If you are referring to a group of cousins that includes both males and females, use the masculine plural form primos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpɾima/
Did you know?
- To specify a 'first cousin', Spanish speakers use the phrase prima hermana, which literally means 'sister cousin'.
- While 'prima' describes a person, the exact same word is used in a completely different context to mean an 'insurance premium' or a 'bonus' payment.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a 'prima' or 'primo' is not always a blood relative, but can be a close friend used as a term of endearment.
Examples in context
- Mi primaMy cousin
- Una primaA cousin
- Voy a visitar a mi primita este fin de semanaI'm going to visit my girl cousin this weekend
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are looking at old family photos.
- Elena¿Quién es la niña en esta foto?Who is the girl in this photo?
- AlejandroElla es mi prima Lucía.She is my girl cousin Lucía.
- ElenaNo sabía que tenías una prima.I didn't know you had a girl cousin.
- AlejandroSí, pero ella vive muy lejos.Yes, but she lives very far away.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry prima, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
