Our Aunts In Spanish | Say It Right

Use nuestras tías for female aunts only, and nuestros tíos when the group includes at least one uncle.

The clean translation depends on who is in the group. If you mean only aunts, the Spanish phrase is nuestras tías. If you mean a family group that includes aunts and uncles, Spanish usually uses nuestros tíos.

That small switch matters. English says “our” once and leaves the noun to do the rest. Spanish makes the possessive and the noun match in gender and number, so nuestras pairs with tías, while nuestros pairs with tíos. Once you know that pattern, the phrase gets much easier to write and say.

What The Phrase Means In Plain Spanish

Nuestras tías means “our aunts” when every person you mean is an aunt. The word tías is the plural of tía, and the possessive nuestras matches it because tías is feminine plural.

Use it when two or more people share the same aunts, or when a speaker speaks for a group. It can refer to a family, siblings, cousins, or any set of people who share that relation.

• Nuestras tías viven en Madrid. — Our aunts live in Madrid.
• Vamos a visitar a nuestras tías. — We’re going to visit our aunts.
• Nuestras tías son hermanas de mi mamá. — Our aunts are my mom’s sisters.

Do not use nuestros tías. That mixes a masculine plural possessive with a feminine plural noun. The same mismatch would sound off to a native speaker right away.

How To Use Our Aunts In Spanish In Real Sentences

The phrase works in several spots in a sentence. You can put it after a verb, after a preposition, or at the start when the aunts are the subject. The shape does not change unless the noun changes.

The RAE grammar on Spanish possessives lists nuestro, nuestra, nuestros, and nuestras as possessive forms that match the noun they go with. That is the grammar behind nuestras tías.

Use Nuestras When The Noun Is Tías

Nuestras does not mean the speakers are women. It means the noun after it is feminine plural. A group of brothers would still say nuestras tías, because the aunts are the people being named.

This is where English speakers often slip. They try to match our to the speakers, then pick nuestros when the speaker group has men. Spanish does not work that way here. Match the noun, not the people who own the relation.

Use Nuestros Tíos For A Mixed Group

When the group includes at least one uncle, Spanish usually says nuestros tíos. That can mean “our uncles” or “our aunts and uncles,” so context does the work. If clarity matters, write nuestras tías y nuestros tíos.

The RAE dictionary entry for tío, tía gives the family meaning as a parent’s brother or sister, and it also lists the plural tíos for the parent’s sibling and that person’s spouse. That is why tíos can carry a mixed family sense.

For a school assignment, greeting card, photo caption, or family tree label, choose the fuller wording when the reader has no extra context. Nuestras tías is clean for aunt-only groups. Nuestras tías y nuestros tíos removes doubt when both sides of the family are named together.

English word order can change, but the Spanish phrase often stays the same. “Our aunts’ house” becomes la casa de nuestras tías. “A gift from our aunts” becomes un regalo de nuestras tías. Spanish often uses de to show that kind of link, so the phrase remains easy to spot inside longer sentences.

English Idea	Spanish Phrase	When To Use It
Our aunts	Nuestras tías	Only female aunts are meant.
Our aunt	Nuestra tía	One female aunt is meant.
Our uncles	Nuestros tíos	Only male uncles are meant.
Our aunts and uncles	Nuestros tíos	A mixed group is clear from context.
Our aunts and our uncles	Nuestras tías y nuestros tíos	Use this when you want no confusion.
Our dear aunts	Nuestras queridas tías	The adjective also changes to feminine plural.
With our aunts	Con nuestras tías	Use after con, meaning “with.”
For our aunts	Para nuestras tías	Use for gifts, plans, or actions done for them.

Pronunciation And Accent Marks That Help

Say nuestras tías like NWES-trahs TEE-ahs. The stress in tías sits on the í, not on the final as. The written accent is not decoration; it tells you how the vowels split.

The RAE rules on tilde and hiato explain why words such as tía carry an accent when a stressed closed vowel sits beside an open vowel. In plain terms, tía is two beats: tí-a.

Small Sound Tips

• Nuestras starts with a “nweh” sound, not “noo.”
• Tías has two syllables: tí-as.
• The final s is written and usually spoken.
• In many regions, tía sounds crisp and short, not stretched.

Read the phrase in one smooth line: nuestras tías. Do not pause between the words unless you are teaching the phrase or spelling it out. If you are practicing aloud, say nuestras first, then add tías after the rhythm feels steady.

Common Mistakes And Cleaner Choices

The biggest mistake is using nuestro as a fixed translation for “our.” It is only one form. Spanish gives you four: nuestro, nuestra, nuestros, and nuestras. Pick the one that matches the noun after it.

Another slip is dropping the accent in tía or tías. Spanish readers may still understand the word, but the correct spelling is tía and tías. This matters in schoolwork, family messages, labels, captions, and formal writing.

Mistake	Better Version	Why It Works
Nuestros tías	Nuestras tías	Feminine plural noun needs feminine plural possessive.
Nuestra tías	Nuestras tías	Plural noun needs plural possessive.
Nuestras tias	Nuestras tías	The accent marks the stressed í.
Mis tías for a shared group	Nuestras tías	Mis means “my,” not “our.”
Nuestras tíos	Nuestros tíos	Masculine plural noun needs masculine plural possessive.

When To Be More Specific

Family words can carry different shades from place to place. In many Spanish-speaking homes, tía may be used warmly for a close family friend, a godparent-like figure, or an older person treated like kin. That use depends on the family and the region.

If the relationship needs to be exact, add a few words. Las hermanas de mi papá means “my dad’s sisters.” Las hermanas de mi mamá means “my mom’s sisters.” For a shared group, use las hermanas de nuestro papá or las hermanas de nuestra mamá.

That extra detail is helpful in genealogy notes, invitations, and captions where several relatives share the same names. It also helps learners see which side of the family the aunt comes from, without guessing from context.

Family Lines That Sound Natural

• Nuestras tías vienen a cenar. — Our aunts are coming for dinner.
• Compramos flores para nuestras tías. — We bought flowers for our aunts.
• Esta foto es de nuestras tías. — This photo is of our aunts.
• Nuestras tías y nuestros primos llegaron temprano. — Our aunts and cousins arrived early.

If you want a polished line for a card, try Con cariño para nuestras tías. It means “With affection for our aunts,” and it fits gifts, photo albums, and family posts.

A Simple Rule That Sticks

Use nuestras tías when the noun is tías. Use nuestra tía for one aunt. Use nuestros tíos for uncles or for a mixed group. The possessive changes with the Spanish noun, not with the English word “our.”

That one rule handles most sentences you’ll write. Say the phrase aloud, keep the accent in tías, and match each word cleanly. Your Spanish will read smoother, and the family meaning will land the way you meant it.