Inklingo

How to Say "member" in Spanish

English → Spanish

miembro

myehm-broh/ˈmjem.bɾo/

nounB1general
Use 'miembro' when referring to a person who is part of a group, organization, team, or board, emphasizing their role or participation.

Examples

Ella es un miembro importante del comité de planificación.

She is an important member of the planning committee.

Soy un miembro activo del equipo de voluntarios.

I am an active member of the volunteer team.

El presidente debe consultar con los otros miembros del comité.

The president must consult with the other members of the committee.

Para usar la piscina, tienes que ser miembro del club.

To use the pool, you have to be a member of the club.

Masculine Noun, Any Gender

'Miembro' is grammatically a masculine word ('el miembro'), but it can refer to a man or a woman. For example, 'Ella es miembro de la junta' (She is a member of the board).

Possessive Confusion

Mistake: “El miembro de mi familia.”

Correction: Use 'un miembro de mi familia.' (We generally need to use an article like 'un' or 'el' before 'miembro' when talking about a person.)

socio

SOH-see-oh/ˈso.sjo/

nounA2general
Use 'socio' when referring to someone who is a member of a club, organization, or business, especially when there's a financial or formal aspect to the membership, like paying dues or having shared ownership.
Three cheerful cartoon figures standing close together, all wearing identical blue scarves, symbolizing their shared membership in a group or club.

Examples

Los socios del club tienen acceso exclusivo a las instalaciones.

Club members have exclusive access to the facilities.

Para usar la piscina, tienes que ser socio del gimnasio.

To use the pool, you have to be a member of the gym.

¿Cuántos años lleva siendo socio de este club de golf?

How many years have you been a member of this golf club?

Gender Matching

Remember that 'socio' is masculine (for a man or boy). If you are referring to a woman or girl, use the feminine form, 'socia'.

Confusing 'Socio' and 'Pareja'

Mistake: “Using 'socio' to mean a romantic partner.”

Correction: Use 'pareja' (partner) or 'novio/a' (boyfriend/girlfriend) for romantic relationships, not 'socio'.

Miembro vs. Socio

The most common mistake is using 'miembro' when a more specific term like 'socio' is needed, especially for clubs or gyms where membership involves a fee or formal agreement. While 'miembro' is always correct for general belonging, 'socio' is often preferred when the context implies a paid or official membership status.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.