hermana
/eɾˈmana/feminine
The Spanish word for sister is hermana.
hermana refers to a woman or girl having the same parents. In a Catholic context, it is also used to refer to a nun or a religious sister.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is hermano, which means brother. To talk about more than one sister, use the plural form hermanas. If you are referring to a group of siblings consisting of both brothers and sisters, use the masculine plural form hermanos.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾˈmana/
Did you know?
- The English word 'germane' (meaning relevant or closely related) and the Spanish hermana both share the same Latin ancestor, 'germānus'.
- While hermana means sister, the Spanish word for 'sister-in-law' is cuñada, a completely different root that does not include the word for sister.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to use hermana or hermano as a term of endearment for a very close female or male friend, even if there is no blood relation.
Examples in context
- Yo soy tu hermana.I'm your sister.This sentence is useful for identifying yourself as someone's hermana.Tatoeba #1982877 by marcelostockle, translation #1979740 by CM
- Esa es mi hermana.That's my sister.This sentence is useful for identifying someone else as your hermana.Tatoeba #9679363 by Shishir, translation #2251101 by CK
- Odio a mi hermana.I hate my sister.This sentence is useful for expressing a feeling toward your hermana.Tatoeba #9703943 by stormy_clau, translation #2569587 by Hybrid
- Mi hermana y yo somos muy cercanas.My sister and I are very close.
- ¿Dónde está tu hermana? Quería saludarla.Where is your sister? I wanted to say hello to her.
- Mis padres se divorciaron y ahora tengo una hermanastra.My parents got divorced, and now I have a stepsister.
- Mi hermanastra es mayor que yo, pero nos llevamos muy bien.My stepsister is older than me, but we get along very well.
- Hermana, ¿me puedes prestar tu coche para ir al mercado?Sister, can you lend me your car to go to the market?
- 684 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are talking about family members.
- María¿Tienes una hermana?Do you have a sister?
- DanielSí, tengo una hermana mayor.Yes, I have an older sister.
- MaríaTu hermana es muy simpática.Your sister is very nice.
- DanielGracias, ella es muy amable.Thanks, she is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries hermana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hermana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
