Inklingo

How to Say "father-in-law" in Spanish

The Spanish word forfather-in-lawis suegroA1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA1

suegro

nounA1
the father of your husband or wife
A kind, smiling older man with gray hair standing next to a younger man in a friendly, domestic setting.

Examples

Mi suegro es muy simpático y siempre cocina los domingos.

My father-in-law is very nice and always cooks on Sundays.

Tengo que comprar un regalo para el cumpleaños de mi suegro.

I have to buy a gift for my father-in-law's birthday.

Mi suegro trabajó como arquitecto durante treinta años.

My father-in-law worked as an architect for thirty years.

Male vs. Female family members

Spanish uses the ending '-o' for male family members and '-a' for female ones. While 'suegro' is the father-in-law, changing it to 'suegra' makes it mother-in-law.

Using 'the' vs 'my'

When talking directly to him, you just say 'Suegro'. When talking about him to others, you almost always use 'mi' (my) or 'el' (the) depending on the context.

Avoid literal translations

Mistake:Mi padre en ley vive aquí.

Correction: Mi suegro vive aquí. English uses 'in-law,' but Spanish has a single specific word for this relationship.

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.