Inklingo

How to Say "folks" in Spanish

English → Spanish

gente

/HEN-teh//ˈxente/

nounB1informal
Use 'gente' when referring to your family or people in a general sense, similar to 'my folks'.
A warm, cozy living room where a family of multiple generations is laughing together, representing 'gente' as one's own family or community.

Examples

En Navidad, siempre voy a ver a mi gente.

At Christmas, I always go to see my family/people.

Es una persona que cuida mucho a su gente.

He/She is a person who takes great care of his/her people.

señores

nounA2informal
Use 'señores' as a polite and general way to address a group of people, similar to 'ladies and gentlemen' or 'folks' in a formal setting.

Examples

¡Buenos días, señores! Gracias por venir a la reunión.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for coming to the meeting.

tíos

nounB1informal
Use 'tíos' as a very informal way to address a group of friends, especially among younger people, similar to 'guys' or 'folks'.

Examples

¡Qué pasada, tíos! ¿Vamos al cine?

That's awesome, guys! Shall we go to the cinema?

muchachos

/moo-CHAH-chohs//muˈtʃa.tʃos/

nounA1informal
Use 'muchachos' to informally address a group, particularly if it includes males, similar to 'guys' or 'boys', and can sometimes be used like 'folks'.
A simple illustration showing three young boys running and laughing in a sunny park.

Examples

Los muchachos están jugando al fútbol en el parque.

The boys are playing soccer in the park.

¡Hola, muchachos! ¿Cómo están?

Hey, guys! How are you?

Un grupo de muchachos y muchachas fue al cine.

A group of boys and girls went to the movies.

The 'Inclusive' Masculine Form

In Spanish, if a group includes even one boy among many girls, you use the masculine plural 'muchachos' to refer to everyone. It's the default for mixed groups.

Forgetting the Mixed-Group Rule

Mistake: “Seeing a group of boys and girls and thinking you must always say 'muchachos y muchachas'.”

Correction: It's more common and natural to just say 'muchachos' to include everyone. Saying both is usually for emphasis or clarification, not a requirement.

Addressing Groups vs. Referring to Family

The most common mistake is using a word meant for addressing a group (like 'tíos' or 'señores') when you actually mean your family ('gente'). Remember, 'gente' is for referring to people, often your family, while the others are for direct address.

Related Translations

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