mis tíos
/mis tios/from spelling rules
The English phrase "my aunt and uncle" is translated into Spanish as mis tíos.
mis tíos is used to refer to the siblings of one's parents, or to the married couple consisting of a parent's sibling and their spouse.
Which one should you use?
While mis tíos is the standard way to say "my aunt and uncle", you may use mi tía y mi tío if you wish to place more individual emphasis on each person.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, the term tío is used in a more inclusive sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine plural form mis tíos is used to refer to a mixed-gender group of aunts and uncles.
Did you know?
- In Spain, young people often use tío and tía as slang for 'dude' or 'girl' when addressing friends in informal conversation.
- In some Latin American contexts, it is common to refer to your parents' cousins as tíos rather than using the more distant term primos segundos.
- When addressing a single female aunt, you use tía, but if you are part of a very close-knit family, children often use the diminutive titia to sound more affectionate.
Examples in context
- Mis tíos viven en Madrid.My aunt and uncle live in Madrid.
- Voy a visitar a mis tíos este fin de semana.I am going to visit my aunt and uncle this weekend.
- ¿Cómo están mis tíos?How are my aunt and uncle?
Example conversation
Mateo and María are talking about family plans at a cafe.
- MateoMaría, ¿quieres venir a cenar con mis tíos?María, do you want to come to dinner with my aunt and uncle?
- MaríaSí, me encantaría conocer a tus tíos.Yes, I would love to meet your aunt and uncle.
- MateoEllos son muy simpáticos.They are very nice.
- MaríaEntonces, nos vemos allí el sábado.Then, I will see you there on Saturday.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
