What does it mean word for word?
The word apellido specifically refers to a family name or surname, rather than the order of names in a sequence.
Which one should you use?
While tu apellido refers to a single last name, the plural form sus apellidos is often used in many Spanish-speaking cultures because people frequently have two surnames. When asking for a full legal name, this plural form is more common.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express "your last name" formally, use su apellido. In many Spanish-speaking cultures, people use two surnames, so you may use the plural form sus apellidos to ask for them.
How do you pronounce it?
/tu apeʝido/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using último nombre to mean surname. In Spanish, último nombre literally means the final name in a sequence or list, while apellido is the correct term for a family name.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, women traditionally kept both surnames after marriage, unlike the historical English custom of replacing their maiden name with their husband's.
- The word apellido is a deverbal noun, meaning it is a noun derived from the verb apellidar, which means to name or to give a surname.
- In Spanish-speaking countries, the first apellido comes from the father and the second from the mother. In social settings, people often drop the mother's name, but it remains essential for legal documents.
Examples in context
- No entendí tu apellido.I didn't catch your last name.This sentence is useful for practicing when you did not catch the form tu apellido.Tatoeba #1612592 by teskmon, translation #70513 by CK
- ¿Cómo se pronuncia tu apellido?How do you pronounce your last name?This sentence is useful for asking about the pronunciation of the form tu apellido.Tatoeba #1257939 by hayastan, translation #70511 by CK
- ¿Cuál es tu apellido?What's your last name?This sentence is useful for asking what the form tu apellido is.Tatoeba #3494003 by marcosruben, translation #2072325 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel is filling out a form for María.
- DanielMe falta escribir tu apellido aquí.I still need to write your last name here.
- MaríaMi apellido es García.My last name is García.
- Daniel¿Está bien escrito tu apellido?Is your last name spelled correctly?
- MaríaSí, así se escribe.Yes, that is how it is written.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apellido, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
