Spanish word

cuñado

Pronunciation

IPA/kuˈɲaðo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbrother-in-law

Example

Mi cuñado viene a cenar esta noche.

My brother-in-law is coming over for dinner tonight.

Illustration for cuñado (brother-in-law)

More examples

¿Te llevas bien con tu cuñado?

Do you get along with your brother-in-law?

Core concept

Kin by marriage formed when two families join, typically the sibling of a spouse or the spouse of a sibling.

Common phrases

  • llevarse bien con mi cuñado

    get along with my brother-in-law

  • discutir con mi cuñado

    argue with my brother-in-law

Similar words

cuñada: Female in-law who is a spouse's sister or the spouse of one's sibling.
suegro: Spouse's father.
suegra: Spouse's mother.
yerno: Male in-law married to one's daughter.

Definition in Spanish

Pariente por afinidad; designa al hermano o la hermana del cónyuge o a la persona casada con un hermano o una hermana.

Word origin

From Latin cognatus 'kinsman', Spanish underwent the gn to ñ change and narrowed the term to mean a relative by marriage.

Usage tips

  • Spanish marks the relative's sex with cuñado/cuñada, and cuñados can refer to multiple in-laws or a mixed group.

Related words

  • cuñadasister-in-lawnoun

Word lists with this word