hermanos
/er-MAH-nohs/
siblings
This image shows siblings, both brothers and sisters.
hermanos(Noun)
siblings
?Used for a group of brothers and sisters, or when you don't know the gender.
brothers and sisters
?A more literal way to translate the meaning.
📝 In Action
¿Cuántos hermanos tienes?
A1How many siblings do you have?
Tengo dos hermanos: un chico y una chica.
A1I have two siblings: a boy and a girl.
Mis hermanos y yo vamos al cine esta noche.
A2My siblings and I are going to the movies tonight.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'One-Guy' Rule (Default Masculine)
In Spanish, if a group includes even one male, the whole group is described with the masculine form. So, one brother and ten sisters are still called 'hermanos'. This applies to many other nouns for people, too!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Over-explaining
Mistake: "Tengo un hermano y una hermana."
Correction: Tengo dos hermanos. (While the first sentence isn't wrong, the second one is much more natural and common when just stating the total number of siblings.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Asking the Right Question
To ask someone if they have any brothers or sisters, you can simply ask, "¿Tienes hermanos?". The word 'hermanos' covers everyone.
This image shows two brothers.
📝 In Action
Mis dos hermanos se llaman Carlos y Javier.
A1My two brothers are named Carlos and Javier.
Los hermanos Wright inventaron el avión.
B1The Wright brothers invented the airplane.
Ellos no son amigos, son hermanos.
A2They aren't friends, they're brothers.
💡 Grammar Points
Plural of 'Hermano'
'Hermanos' is the direct plural of 'hermano' (brother). To make most masculine nouns that end in '-o' plural, you just change the '-o' to '-os'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
You'll know 'hermanos' means 'brothers' (and not 'siblings') from the context. If someone mentions only male names or uses words like 'ellos' (they, masculine), they're talking about brothers.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: hermanos
Question 1 of 1
If someone says, 'Tengo tres hermanos: Ana, Sofía y David,' how many sisters do they have?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Spanish use a masculine word, 'hermanos', to talk about sisters too?
It's a feature of Spanish grammar called the 'masculine plural' or 'default masculine'. When you have a group of people with mixed genders, you use the masculine plural form to refer to the whole group. This happens with 'hijos' (children/sons), 'padres' (parents/fathers), and many other words. It's just a grammar rule, not a reflection of importance!
Is there a single word for 'siblings' that isn't masculine?
Not a common, everyday one like in English. 'Hermanos' is the standard and most natural way to say 'siblings'. While you might see more inclusive language being proposed, for everyday conversation, 'hermanos' is what you'll hear and use.