Inklingo

How to Say "eldest" in Spanish

The Spanish word foreldestis mayorA1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA1

mayor

AdjectiveA1
when used with an article like 'el' or 'la'
A tall man with gray hair gently holding the hand of a small, young child, illustrating the concept of being older.

Examples

Mi hermano mayor tiene veinte años.

My older brother is twenty years old.

Ella es la mayor de la familia.

She is the eldest in the family.

Soy dos años mayor que tú.

I am two years older than you.

Doesn't Change for Gender

Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'mayor' doesn't change its ending for masculine or feminine. It's 'el chico mayor' and 'la chica mayor'.

Special Comparative Word

In Spanish, 'older' is a special case. Instead of saying 'más viejo' (more old), you almost always use 'mayor' when talking about people's age. It's more natural and polite.

Using 'más viejo'

Mistake:Mi hermana es más vieja que yo.

Correction: Mi hermana es mayor que yo. Using 'viejo' for a person can sound a bit rude, like calling them 'old'. 'Mayor' is the standard, polite way to say 'older'.

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