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novio

NOH-byohˈno.βjo

“novio” means “boyfriend” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

boyfriend

Also: fiancé
NounmA1
Argentina, Uruguay
A young man and a young woman standing close together, holding hands and smiling, symbolizing a boyfriend and girlfriend.

📝 In Action

Mi novio y yo vamos al cine esta noche.

A1

My boyfriend and I are going to the movies tonight.

Ella se comprometió con su novio de toda la vida.

B1

She got engaged to her lifelong boyfriend.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • exnovio (ex-boyfriend)

Common Collocations

  • echarse novio – to get a boyfriend
  • romper con el novio – to break up with the boyfriend

groom

NounmA2
A man dressed in a formal tuxedo and bow tie, standing proudly, representing a groom at a wedding.

📝 In Action

El novio esperaba en el altar.

A2

The groom was waiting at the altar.

Todos querían tomarse una foto con el novio y la novia.

B1

Everyone wanted to take a picture with the groom and the bride.

Word Connections

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • el traje del novio – the groom's suit
  • el discurso del novio – the groom's speech

Vocabulary Collections

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "novio" in Spanish:

boyfriend→fiancé→groom→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: novio

Question 1 of 1

If someone says, 'El novio llegó tarde a la boda,' what does 'novio' mean here?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
novia(girlfriend, fiancée, bride) — Noun
noviazgo(relationship, courtship, engagement) — Noun
exnovio(ex-boyfriend) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
obviomicrobio
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'novius', which means 'new'. It originally described someone who was 'new' to a family through an upcoming marriage.

First recorded: Around the 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: noivoItalian: novizio

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'novio' and 'esposo'?

'Novio' is used before marriage for a 'boyfriend' or 'fiancé'. 'Esposo' is used after marriage for a 'husband'. You have a 'novio' before the wedding, and an 'esposo' after.

How do I say 'bride and groom'?

You can say 'el novio y la novia', but it's very common to just use the plural form 'los novios' to refer to the couple together.