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How to Say "relatives" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “relatives” is “familiares” — use 'familiares' when referring to people connected by blood or marriage, emphasizing the family unit or household..

English → Spanish

familiares

/fah-mee-lee-AH-rehs//fa.miˈlja.ɾes/

nounA1general
Use 'familiares' when referring to people connected by blood or marriage, emphasizing the family unit or household.
A storybook illustration showing three generations of a family: a grandmother, a mother, and a child, holding hands and smiling, symbolizing relatives.

Examples

Todos mis familiares viven en la misma ciudad.

All my relatives live in the same city.

¿Cuántos familiares asistieron a la boda?

How many family members attended the wedding?

Los familiares del paciente esperan noticias afuera.

The patient's family members are waiting outside for news.

Plural Noun Rule

Even though 'familiares' can refer to a mix of men and women, the default plural form is masculine ('los familiares'), which is standard for groups of people.

Using 'Familia' instead of 'Familiares'

Mistake: “Mis familia vienen a verme.”

Correction: Mi familia (singular group) viene a verme. OR Mis familiares (plural individuals) vienen a verme. Use 'familiares' when referring to multiple individual people.

parientes

/pah-RYEN-tehs//paˈɾjentes/

nounA1general
Use 'parientes' as a general term for any family members, including extended family, often used when talking about gatherings or events.
A colorful storybook illustration showing a multi-generational family group: an older man (grandfather), a woman (mother), and two young children, all standing together and smiling happily.

Examples

Todos mis parientes vinieron a la boda de mi hermana.

All my relatives came to my sister's wedding.

No tengo muchos parientes que vivan en esta ciudad.

I don't have many family members who live in this city.

Ella fue a visitar a sus parientes lejanos en el campo.

She went to visit her distant relations in the countryside.

The Singular Form

This word is the plural of 'pariente' (a relative). If you talk about just one person, use 'un pariente' (for a male relative) or 'una pariente' (for a female relative).

Masculine Plural for Mixed Groups

Even if the group of relatives includes women, the plural noun 'parientes' remains grammatically masculine, which is common in Spanish when referring to mixed-gender groups.

False Friend: Parents

Mistake: “Using 'parientes' when you mean 'parents'.”

Correction: While they look similar to the English word 'parents,' 'parientes' means 'relatives' generally (aunts, cousins, grandparents). The word for 'parents' (mother and father) is 'padres'.

tíos

nounA1informal
Use 'tíos' informally to refer to aunts and uncles specifically, or more broadly and informally to include a wider range of extended family members.

Examples

Todos mis tíos vinieron a la boda, incluyendo mi tía Marta.

All my aunts and uncles came to the wedding, including my Aunt Marta.

propios

/pro-pios//ˈpɾopjos/

nounB1general
Use 'propios' to refer to one's own family members, often in a context emphasizing belonging or local origin, distinct from general relatives.
A depiction of three family members—an adult, a teenager, and a child—holding hands and walking closely together on a sunny path, showing a strong bond of belonging.

Examples

Los propios de la región no quieren cambios.

The people native to the region do not want changes.

Llevó a cabo la misión junto a los suyos y sus propios.

He carried out the mission alongside his people and his relatives.

Adjective acting as Noun

When you put a definite article (like 'los') or a possessive word (like 'sus') in front of 'propios,' it stops being an adjective and starts acting like a noun, standing in for 'my people' or 'my things'.

Familiares vs. Parientes

The most common confusion is between 'familiares' and 'parientes'. While both mean 'relatives', 'familiares' can sometimes imply a closer or more immediate family unit, while 'parientes' is a more general term for any family member. In many everyday contexts, they are interchangeable.

Related Translations

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