tía
“tía” means “aunt” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
aunt
📝 In Action
Mi tía Ana es la hermana de mi madre.
A1My aunt Ana is my mother's sister.
Voy a visitar a mis tíos este fin de semana.
A2I'm going to visit my aunt and uncle this weekend.
Le compré un regalo a mi tía por su cumpleaños.
A2I bought a gift for my aunt for her birthday.
woman, girl
Also: dude
📝 In Action
Oye, tía, ¿qué tal?
B1Hey girl, what's up?
La tía de la caja fue muy amable.
B2The woman at the checkout was very nice.
No conozco a esa tía, ¿quién es?
B1I don't know that woman, who is she?
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "tía" in Spanish:
aunt→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tía
Question 1 of 1
In which sentence does 'tía' most likely mean 'woman' or 'gal', not 'aunt'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from Late Latin 'thia', which itself was borrowed from the Greek word 'θεία' (theia), which also means 'aunt'. It's a word that has kept its core family meaning for thousands of years.
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it rude to call a woman 'tía' in Spain?
Not usually, among peers and in informal situations! It's very similar to calling a female friend 'girl' or 'dude' in English. However, you would not use it with someone much older than you, a boss, or anyone in a formal setting, as that could be seen as disrespectful.
Can I use 'tía' to mean 'woman' outside of Spain?
It's best not to. This slang meaning is very specific to Spain. In most Latin American countries, 'tía' only means 'aunt', so using it to refer to a stranger would be confusing.