Spanish Conversation · Level 31
90 words
Spanish word
tía
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈtia/
Meaning
- feminine nounaunt
Example
Le compré un regalo a mi tía ayer.
I bought my aunt a gift yesterday.
More examples
Esta noche ceno con la tía para celebrar su cumpleaños.
Tonight I am having dinner with the aunt to celebrate her birthday.
Core concept
A parent's sister or a woman who plays that familial role.
Common phrases
cenar con la tía
dine with the aunt
la tía política
aunt by marriage
la tía favorita
favorite aunt
Similar words
tío: Brother of a parent or husband of a parent's sister.
madre: Female parent who biologically gave birth.
abuela: Parent's mother.
prima: Female cousin, a relative in the same generation.
Definition in Spanish
Mujer que es hermana de alguno de los padres o que cumple ese papel afectivo en la familia.
Word origin
From Latin amita meaning a father's sister, Spanish tía descends from that root and is cognate with Italian zia and Portuguese tia.
Usage tips
- In Spain tía also functions as informal speech for 'woman' or 'girl' (as in esa tía), so context and tone determine whether it names a relative or is colloquial.