sobrina nieta
/sobɾina njeta/from spelling rules
The English phrase "great niece" is sobrina nieta in Spanish.
The term refers to the daughter of one's niece or nephew.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of sobrina (niece) and nieta (granddaughter).
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to a group consisting only of great nieces, use the feminine plural form sobrinas nietas.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the term sobrina nieta describes a generational relationship from the perspective of the aunt or uncle, but the girl would call that person tío abuelo or tía abuela, meaning 'grandfather-uncle' or 'grandmother-aunt'.
- The word nieta descends from the Latin neptis, a term that specifically distinguished a granddaughter from a general descendant.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if you are particularly close to your sobrina nieta, you might skip the formal title in conversation and simply call her mi niña or 'my girl'.
Examples in context
- Mi sobrina nieta me visita cada verano.My great niece visits me every summer.
- Mi sobrina nieta es muy inteligente.My great niece is very intelligent.
- Ella es mi sobrina nieta favorita.She is my favorite great niece.
- Tengo una sobrina nieta que vive en Madrid.I have a great niece who lives in Madrid.
Example conversation
Two relatives are looking at old family photographs.
- María¿Quién es la niña de la foto?Who is the girl in the photo?
- JavierEs mi sobrina nieta, Lucía.It is my great niece, Lucía.
- María¡Qué linda es tu sobrina nieta!Your great niece is so cute!
- JavierGracias, María, ella es muy cariñosa.Thanks, María, she is very affectionate.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nieta, sobrina, CC BY-SA 4.0.
