Hola, mi primo.
Hi, cousin.
Here mi primo is said to the cousin, not about him, and it takes the place of his name, the way you greet someone you grew up with.
From Una esposa de mentira · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "cousin" in Spanish
el primo
nounmasculinefeminine: la primaplural: los primos
"Cousin" in Spanish is el primo for a male cousin and la prima for a female cousin. English has one word for both, while Spanish picks the ending. A group of cousins is los primos.
Hear "primo" in real movie scenes
Once to greet a cousin, once to introduce one. Each video starts and stops on that line.
Y también a su primo Dwight.
And also his cousin Dwight.
In a list, the name can follow su primo directly, so it's clear in one breath who Dwight is.
From The Office · Spanish audio
Primo outside the family
The same word turns up in math, at work and in slang.
| Spanish | English | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| mi primo, mi prima | my cousin | The family meaning, male and female. |
| un número primo | a prime number | El siete es un número primo. |
| una prima | a bonus, a premium | At work or in insurance, an extra payment. |
| la materia prima | raw material | Prima here means first, the material you start with. |
| hacer el primo | to be taken for a fool | Informal, mostly in Spain. |
Tip: To be specific, say primo por parte de madre or por parte de padre: a cousin on your mom's or your dad's side.
Grammar: el primo, la prima
Four points for talking about cousins.
Primo or prima
el primo for a male cousin, la prima for a female cousin. The article and the ending change together.A mixed group
mis primos covers boys and girls together. Only girls: mis primas.The r is a tap
One quick tap of the tongue, like the tt in American butter: PREE-moh.First and second cousins
primo hermano is a first cousin, primo segundo a second cousin. In daily talk most people just say primo.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
Es mi primo.
He's my cousin.
Mi primo está en Europa.
My cousin is in Europe.
Mi prima vive en Sevilla.
My cousin lives in Seville.
Tengo muchos primos.
I have a lot of cousins.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗mi primo (about a female cousin)
✓mi prima
For a girl or a woman, the ending is -a.
✗PRY-moh (pronunciation)
✓PREE-moh
The i sounds like ee, never like the i in prime.
✗Mi primo está mi mejor amigo
✓Mi primo es mi mejor amigo
Who someone is to you takes ser. Estar is for where he is or how he feels.
Real conversation: who's going on vacation?
A short phone call with a friend.
Your friend Gabriela calls and tells you who's going on vacation with her.
Voy al mar con mi marido.
I'm going to the seaside with my husband.
Ah, ¿y tus hijos?
Oh, and your kids?
Sí, mis hijos también. Y mi primo.
Yes, my kids too. And my cousin.
Your turn to answer
In the app you reply in Spanish for the last 2 lines.
Continue the conversation in WordyPractice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
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The other 34 exercises on this topic are in the app.
How to remember it
Primo sounds like prime. Picture your cousin as your prime partner at every family party.
Questions about "cousin" in Spanish
How do you say cousin in Spanish?
El primo for a male cousin and la prima for a female cousin.
How do you say cousins in Spanish?
Los primos for a mixed group or only boys, las primas when they're all girls.
How do you say first cousin and second cousin in Spanish?
Primo hermano is a first cousin and primo segundo a second cousin. For a woman: prima hermana, prima segunda.
How do you pronounce primo?
PREE-moh, with one quick tap of the r.
