Inklingo

How to Say "ancestor" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ancestro

/ahn-SESS-troh//anˈsestɾo/

nounB1general
Use 'ancestro' when referring to a specific person or people from whom you are descended, emphasizing the direct lineage.
A kind elderly man in traditional clothing standing behind a small child, representing family lineage.

Examples

Mis ancestros vinieron de Italia hace cien años.

My ancestors came from Italy a hundred years ago.

Es fascinante descubrir la vida de un ancestro lejano.

It is fascinating to discover the life of a distant ancestor.

Honramos a nuestros ancestros durante las fiestas tradicionales.

We honor our ancestors during traditional holidays.

Always Masculine for Groups

Even if you are talking about both men and women in your family tree, you should use the masculine plural form 'ancestros'.

Ancestro vs. Antepasado

Both mean 'ancestor,' but 'ancestro' often sounds a bit more scientific or formal, while 'antepasado' is the most common everyday word.

The 'Ancient' Confusion

Mistake: “Using 'ancestro' to mean an old person.”

Correction: Use 'anciano' for an elderly person. 'Ancestro' only refers to someone you are related to who lived long ago.

antepasado

/ahn-teh-pah-sah-doh//ante'pasado/

nounB1general
Use 'antepasado' to talk about family lineage or heritage more broadly, often referring to a group of ancestors.
A colorful storybook illustration of an elderly man in traditional clothing sitting on a wooden bench, telling stories to a young child.

Examples

Mis antepasados vinieron de un pequeño pueblo en Italia.

My ancestors came from a small town in Italy.

Es fascinante descubrir cómo vivían nuestros antepasados.

It is fascinating to discover how our ancestors lived.

Muchos de sus antepasados fueron agricultores.

Many of his ancestors were farmers.

Group Reference

Even though 'antepasado' is masculine, when you say 'mis antepasados' (plural), you are referring to both your male and female relatives from the past.

Using 'Ancestro' too much

Mistake: “Mis ancestros son de España.”

Correction: Mis antepasados son de España.

ascendente

/as-sen-den-te//asθenˈdente/

nounB2specialized (astrology)
Only use 'ascendente' in the context of astrology, where it refers to your 'rising sign' or the zodiac sign that was on the eastern horizon at your birth.
A bright, glowing star positioned exactly on the horizon line between the dark night sky and a silhouette of a mountain.

Examples

Mi signo ascendente es Escorpio.

My rising sign is Scorpio.

Él tiene un gran ascendente sobre sus amigos.

He has a great influence over his friends.

Debemos estudiar a nuestros ascendentes.

We should study our ancestors.

Using it as a person

When referring to a family member, it functions just like a normal noun. You can have one 'ascendente' or many 'ascendentes'.

Ascendente vs. Ascendencia

Mistake: “Mi ascendente es italiana.”

Correction: Mi ascendencia es italiana.

Confusing 'ancestro'/'antepasado' with 'ascendente'

The most common mistake is using 'ascendente' when you actually mean a person or people from your family past. Remember that 'ascendente' is almost exclusively used in astrology for your rising sign.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.