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parents and Spanish parientes
In English
parents
mother and father
In Spanish
parientes
familiares
Spanish "parientes" means: relatives
Why they get mixed up Spanish "parientes" are relatives in general, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and others. English "parents" specifically means mother and father. Relatives in English is "relatives."
If you want to say...
- parentspadres
- relativesparientes
- grandparentsabuelos
Examples
My parents live in Mexico.
Mis padres viven en México.
Her parents are very kind.
Sus padres son muy amables.
Both of my parents are teachers.
Mis dos padres son maestros.
Ask your parents for permission.
Pide permiso a tus padres.
Common mistakes in Spanish
Incorrect: Mis parientes me llevaron a la escuela.
Correct: Mis padres me llevaron a la escuela.
Parientes means relatives in general. For mom and dad, use padres.
Incorrect: Voy a cenar con mis parientes: mi mamá y mi papá.
Correct: Voy a cenar con mis padres.
Use padres for parents.
Phrases you will hear
- my parentsmis padres
- single parentspadres solteros
- ask your parentspregunta a tus padres
- grandparentsabuelos
- a relativeun pariente
- distant relativesparientes lejanos
In a conversation
- A:
Both of my parents are teachers.
Mis dos padres son maestros.
- B:
Do your grandparents live nearby?
¿Tus abuelos viven cerca?
- A:
Yes, and many relatives too.
Sí, y muchos parientes también.
- B:
Then your parents have a big family.
Entonces tus padres tienen una familia grande.
Test yourself
"My parents" means...
To remember it
Parents = mother and father. The rest of the family (aunts, cousins) are "relatives."
Frequently asked questions
What does Spanish "parientes" mean?
Spanish "parientes" means "relatives". It looks like the English "parents", which is exactly why it gets confused, but "parents" means "mother and father".
Does English "parents" mean the same as Spanish "parientes"?
Spanish "parientes" are relatives in general, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and others. English "parents" specifically means mother and father. Relatives in English is "relatives."