Palabra Lexi · common words in Spanish
How to say "sister" in Spanish
"Sister" in Spanish is hermana, pronounced ehr-MAH-nah (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a feminine noun (la hermana, plural las hermanas).
| Spanish | hermana |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | ehr-MAH-nah |
| Meaning | sister |
| Gender | feminine: la hermana |
| Plural | las hermanas |
| Frequency | #85 in the Palabra list of common Spanish words |
Pronunciation is spelled out in English, one syllable at a time, with the stressed syllable in capitals. The speaker button uses your browser's built-in Spanish voice. Gender and plural: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
How to pronounce hermana
Hermana is pronounced ehr-MAH-nah, in IPA /eɾˈmana/. Hermana has three syllables, ehr-MAH-nah, with the stress on the second. There is no written accent because the word follows the basic rule: words ending in a vowel, -n or -s are stressed on the second-to-last syllable.
- H is silent.
Listen: normal and slow speed, in your browser's Spanish voice. IPA: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Is hermana masculine or feminine?
Hermana is feminine, so it takes la (the) and una (a): la hermana. The plural is las hermanas. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -a are feminine.
Example sentences
Mi hermana menor
my younger sister
Mi hermana come pan.
My sister eats bread.
Mi hermana hornea pan.
My sister bakes bread.
"Sister" in Spain and Latin America
Useful phrases
- mi hermana mayor / menor
my older / younger sister
Regional words and roots: Diccionario de la lengua española (RAE). Spanish varies by region, so treat these as the most common patterns, not strict rules.
How to remember hermana
hermana [ehr-MAH-nah] sounds like the English “her mana”. Picture this:
Your sister shares her mana: one touch and your phone is at 100%.
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice hermana
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.