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familias

fah-MEE-lyahsfaˈmiljas

“familias” means “families” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

families, households

Also: kin
NounfA1
A diverse family unit consisting of two parents and two children standing together and smiling happily in an outdoor setting.

📝 In Action

Hay muchas familias grandes en mi barrio.

A1

There are many large families in my neighborhood.

Las familias se reúnen para celebrar la Navidad.

A1

The families gather to celebrate Christmas.

Queremos ayudar a las familias afectadas por la tormenta.

A2

We want to help the families affected by the storm.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • familias monoparentales – single-parent families
  • familias numerosas – large families (often a legal term)

families, types

Also: classes
NounfB1
Three distinct, separated groups of objects on a table: a pile of red apples, a pile of orange carrots, and a pile of small wooden tools, illustrating categorization.

📝 In Action

El español y el francés pertenecen a la familia de lenguas románicas.

B1

Spanish and French belong to the family of Romance languages.

Estudiamos las diferentes familias de insectos en biología.

B2

We study the different families of insects in biology.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • grupos (groups)
  • categorías (categories)

Common Collocations

  • familias lingüísticas – linguistic families
  • familias de palabras – word families

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "familias" in Spanish:

classes→families→households→kin→types→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: familias

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'familias' in its figurative, scientific meaning?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word *familia*, which originally meant 'the household'—including all the slaves and servants belonging to the master of the house, not just the blood relatives.

First recorded: Appeared in Spanish during the medieval period, keeping the meaning of 'household' and 'kin group'.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: famíliasItalian: famiglieFrench: familles

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'familia' is singular or plural?

'Familias' is the plural form and always ends in -as. 'Familia' is the singular form, ending in -a. Listen for the article: 'la familia' (one family) vs. 'las familias' (many families).