Inklingo

How to Say "twin" in Spanish

English → Spanish

gemelo

heh-MEH-lohxeˈmelo

nounA2general
Use 'gemelo' when referring to one of two siblings born at the same birth, or more generally, one of two very similar or identical things.
Two identical young boys with the same hair and clothes standing side by side smiling.

Examples

Ella es mi gemela, ¡nacimos el mismo día!

She is my twin, we were born on the same day!

Mi hermano es mi gemelo idéntico.

My brother is my identical twin.

Las torres gemelas eran los edificios más altos.

The twin towers were the tallest buildings.

Ella tiene una hermana gemela que vive en Madrid.

She has a twin sister who lives in Madrid.

Gemelo vs. Mellizo

Spanish has two words for twins. Use 'gemelo' specifically for identical twins who look exactly alike. Use 'mellizo' for fraternal twins who might look different.

Gender Agreement

If you are talking about a female twin, the word changes to 'gemela.' If it's a mixed group, use the masculine plural 'gemelos'.

Calling all twins 'gemelos'

Mistake: “Calling fraternal twins 'gemelos'.”

Correction: Use 'mellizos' for twins that don't look exactly the same; 'gemelos' is for the 'carbon copy' look.

idéntico

adjectiveA2general
Use 'idéntico' to describe two or more things that are exactly alike in appearance, not specifically related to birth.

Examples

Compré un vestido idéntico al tuyo.

I bought a dress identical to yours.

Gemelo vs. Idéntico

Learners often confuse 'gemelo' and 'idéntico'. Remember that 'gemelo' is typically used for people born together or things that are a pair, while 'idéntico' simply means exactly the same, regardless of origin.

Related Translations

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