padres
/padɾes/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'parents' is translated into Spanish as padres.
padres is the standard term for 'parents'. In colloquial speech, you might see Pa used as a shortened form of papá to mean 'father'.
Which one should you use?
While padres is the standard term for 'parents', it can also mean 'fathers' in a strictly masculine plural context. If you need to be explicitly gender-neutral or avoid ambiguity, you might use padres y madres or progenitores.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and parts of Central America, people may use viejos to refer to their parents affectionately.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular masculine form padre means 'father', while the plural padres is used for the collective group of 'parents'.
How do you pronounce it?
/padɾes/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use padres to mean 'fathers' (plural), but in Spanish, padres is the standard term for 'parents' (mother and father).
Did you know?
- In Mexico, the word padre is used as a slang adjective meaning 'cool' or 'great'. You might describe a movie or a party as está muy padre.
- In many Latin American countries, calling your parents mis viejos is not an insult but a common way to say 'my parents' or 'my old folks' with affection.
- While padres is the standard, the highly formal and biological term progenitores is almost exclusively used in legal or medical documents.
Examples in context
- Amo a mis padres.I love my parents.This sentence shows how to express love for your padres.Tatoeba #1879428 by hayastan, translation #1879084 by Spamster
- Odio a sus padres.I hate her parents.This sentence is useful for expressing hatred toward someone else's padres.Tatoeba #1666861 by marcelostockle, translation #1655769 by Spamster
- Odio a mis padres.I hate my parents.This sentence is useful for expressing hatred toward your own padres.Tatoeba #1879430 by hayastan, translation #1879083 by Spamster
- Los padres son fundamentales en la educación de sus hijos.Parents are fundamental in their children's education.
- Ambos padres deben firmar el formulario.Both parents must sign the form.
- Mis papás me enseñaron el valor de la honestidad.My parents taught me the value of honesty.
- Mis padres me trajeron a este mundo.My parents brought me into this world.
- Ayer visité a mis viejos y pasamos un buen rato juntos.Yesterday I visited my parents, and we had a good time together.
- 692 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are talking about their weekend plans.
- JavierVoy a visitar a mis padres el sábado.I am going to visit my parents on Saturday.
- Lucía¿Viven tus padres en esta ciudad?Do your parents live in this city?
- JavierNo, mis padres viven muy lejos.No, my parents live very far away.
- LucíaQué bien, espero que disfrutes el viaje.That's great, I hope you enjoy the trip.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
