tío
general, Mexico
In Mexican Spanish an uncle is tío. It is the same word as in the rest of the Spanish world. The aunt is tía, and tíos can mean uncles or uncles and aunts together. It is also called mi tío.
Meaning: brother of a parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| tío | general, Mexico |
| mi tío | family |
Mexicans use tío before a name as a form of respect inside the family, for example tío Raúl. Children also call close adult friends of the family tío.
Which one should you use?
In Spain tío is also slang for "guy" or "dude". In Mexico it only means uncle, so Mi tío vive en Monterrey is purely about family.
How does it change in a sentence?
A great uncle is tío abuelo. The plural los tíos often includes both uncles and aunts.
Did you know?
- In Spain the word tío is common slang for any man, which can confuse Mexicans who read Spanish films and books.
Examples in context
- Mi tío trabaja en una panadería.My uncle works in a bakery.
- El tío Raúl viene el domingo.Uncle Raúl is coming on Sunday.
- Mis tíos viven en Guadalajara.My uncles and aunts live in Guadalajara.
Example conversation
Pablo calls his mother about the Sunday family meal.
- PabloMamá, ¿quién va a venir a comer?Mom, who is coming to lunch?
- MamáTu tío Raúl y tu tía Lupe.Your uncle Raúl and your aunt Lupe.
- PabloQué bueno, hace tiempo que no veo a mi tío.Great, I have not seen my uncle for a while.
- MamáTrae pan dulce, por favor.Bring pan dulce, please.
