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primos

/PREE-mos/

cousins

A boy and a girl, smiling happily while holding hands in a sunny field, suggesting they are cousins.

Primos can refer to male cousins or a mixed group of male and female cousins.

primos(noun)

mA1

cousins

?

Male cousins or a mixed group of male and female cousins.

Also:

male cousins

?

Specifically referring to only males.

📝 In Action

Mis primos de México vienen para Navidad.

A1

My cousins from Mexico are coming for Christmas.

Somos cuatro primos en total, dos chicos y dos chicas.

A2

We are four cousins in total, two boys and two girls.

Siempre jugábamos juntos cuando éramos primos pequeños.

A2

We always played together when we were little cousins.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • primos hermanos – first cousins (children of siblings)
  • primos segundos – second cousins

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Rule for Groups

In Spanish, if you have a mixed group of males and females (like cousins), you use the masculine plural form, 'primos', to refer to everyone.

Singular Form

The singular form is 'primo' (male cousin) or 'prima' (female cousin). The plural 'primos' covers both.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Feminine for Mixed Groups

Mistake: "Mis primas y yo fuimos al cine. (If the group includes males)"

Correction: Mis primos y yo fuimos al cine. (Use 'primos' when the group is mixed or all male.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Referring to Friends (Spain)

In Spain, 'primos' can sometimes be used very informally among young people, similar to saying 'mates' or 'guys', though 'tío' is more common.

A single, perfectly smooth, solid red block standing alone next to a tall structure built entirely out of many small, identical blue blocks, illustrating the concept of a fundamental, indivisible unit.

In mathematics, primos (plural of primo) means prime, referring to numbers divisible only by one and themselves.

primos(adjective)

mB2

prime

?

Mathematical context (e.g., numbers)

Also:

first

?

Referring to original or fundamental elements (less common usage)

📝 In Action

Los números primos solo son divisibles por uno y por sí mismos.

B2

Prime numbers are only divisible by one and by themselves.

Analizamos los factores primos del polinomio.

C1

We analyzed the prime factors of the polynomial.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • fundamentales (fundamental)
  • originales (original)

Antonyms

  • compuestos (composite (numbers))

Common Collocations

  • factores primos – prime factors

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'primos' must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes, such as 'números' (masculine plural).

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Key

If you hear 'primos' in a non-mathematical sentence, it almost certainly means 'cousins'. This technical meaning is generally limited to academic discussions.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: primos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'primos' to refer to a mathematical concept?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

primo(cousin (male) / prime (adjective)) - noun/adjective
prima(cousin (female)) - noun
primario(primary) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I say 'first cousins' in Spanish?

You use the phrase 'primos hermanos' (literally 'brother cousins'). This emphasizes that they are the children of your mother's or father's siblings.

Does 'primos' ever mean 'prime' in a non-math context, like 'prime time'?

No, generally not. For things like 'prime time' (TV), Spanish uses words like 'horario estelar' or 'horario de máxima audiencia'. 'Primos' is mostly reserved for family or mathematics.