apellido
/apeˈʝido/masculine
The Spanish word for surname is apellido. Wiktionary also lists cognombre and apelativo.
Meaning: name that indicates family (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| apellido | /apeˈʝido/ | masculine |
| cognombre | /koɡnombɾe/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| apelativo | /apelaˈtibo/ | masculine |
A surname is a name that indicates family. In many Spanish-speaking cultures, people have two surnames, so you may be asked for sus apellidos in the plural.
Which one should you use?
While apellido refers to a legal family name, apodo refers to an informal nickname.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, apellido materno is commonly used to refer to the maternal surname.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of apellido is apellidos.
How do you pronounce it?
/apeˈʝido/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use apodo to mean 'surname', but it actually means 'nickname'.
When do people say it?
In the name 'Juan González López', 'González' is the paternal surname and 'López' is the maternal surname.
Did you know?
- Many common Spanish apellidos ending in -ez, such as Rodríguez or González, originally meant 'son of'.
- In some Spanish-speaking countries, a woman may choose to keep her paternal apellido after marriage rather than adopting her husband's name.
- The root of apellido shares a history with the English word 'appeal', as both stem from the idea of calling or addressing.
Examples in context
- Jackson es mi apellido.Jackson is my surname.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific surname.Tatoeba #13529612 by Seael, translation #8725114 by deniko
- ¿Cómo se pronuncia su apellido?How is her surname pronounced?This sentence is useful for asking about the pronunciation of a surname.Tatoeba #987169 by hayastan, translation #3695382 by MTC
- ¿Cuál es el origen de ese apellido?What's the origin of that surname?This sentence is useful for asking about the origin of a surname.Tatoeba #10480290 by Shishir, translation #13046733 by araneo
- El apellido es una parte importante de la identidad de una persona.The surname is an important part of a person's identity.
- ¿Cuál es tu apellido paterno?What is your paternal surname?
- El apellido de Juan es Pérez.The surname of Juan is Pérez.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are filling out registration forms at a clinic.
- MaríaMateo, ¿puedes escribir tu apellido aquí?Mateo, can you write your surname here?
- MateoSí, mi apellido es García.Yes, my surname is García.
- MaríaGracias, ahora pon tu firma debajo.Thanks, now put your signature below.
- MateoListo, ya terminé el formulario.Done, I have finished the form.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “surname” translations and entries apellido, cognombre, apelativo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apelativo, apellido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
