Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| marido | /maˈɾido/ | masculine |
| esposo | /esˈposo/ | masculine |
Both marido and esposo are masculine nouns used to refer to a male partner in a marriage.
Which one should you use?
While both terms mean husband, esposo is often perceived as more formal or standard in many Latin American countries, whereas marido is very common in Spain and in more colloquial speech across the Spanish-speaking world.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, marido is a common term for husband. In Mexico, both esposo and marido are equally used to say husband regardless of formality.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine counterpart of esposo is esposa. The plural form maridos is used to refer to multiple husbands, while the plural form esposos is used to refer to a married couple or spouses.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈɾido/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the noun marido (husband) with the verb maridar, which means to pair or marry items, such as in wine tasting.
Did you know?
- While esposo means 'husband', the word esposas is also the plural for 'handcuffs' in many Spanish-speaking countries.
- The word esposo shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'sponsor'.
- In some traditional contexts, marido can carry a connotation of 'master' or 'provider' due to its historical usage.
Examples in context
- Él es mi marido.This is my husband.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as your husband using marido.Tatoeba #1901525 by hayastan, translation #1898105 by CK
- Su esposo es rico.Her husband is rich.This sentence is useful for describing someone's wealth using esposo.Tatoeba #3037538 by marcelostockle, translation #3018692 by celeriac
- ¡Llama a mi esposo!Call my husband.This sentence is useful for requesting someone to call your husband using esposo.Tatoeba #1731010 by marcelostockle, translation #1730012 by CM
- Mi esposo es un excelente padre.My husband is an excellent father.
- 280 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are talking about a party.
- Alejandro¿Viene tu marido a la fiesta?Is your husband coming to the party?
- MaríaSí, mi marido llega mañana.Yes, my husband arrives tomorrow.
- AlejandroQué bien, me alegra mucho.That's great, I'm very happy.
- MaríaÉl también quiere verte, Alejandro.He also wants to see you, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “husband” translations and entries marido, esposo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esposo, marido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
