“Suegros” is the plural form used for a partner’s parents together (mother-in-law + father-in-law), or for more than one in-law parent.
You’ll see suegros pop up in texts, invites, and small talk: “Vamos a cenar con mis suegros.” It sounds simple, yet it trips people up because English splits the idea into “mother-in-law” and “father-in-law,” while Spanish often bundles them into one neat plural.
This article gets you comfortable with what suegros means, when it’s the right pick, what it can mean in real sentences, and how to avoid the classic mix-ups that can make you sound stiff or off.
What suegros means in Spanish and when people use it
Suegro and suegra name one person: your spouse’s parent. Suegros is the plural. The most common use is one you’ll hear all the time: it can mean “my in-laws” when you mean your spouse’s parents as a pair. The RAE entry for “suegro, suegra” lists a plural sense for “father and mother of one’s spouse,” which matches everyday usage.
In plain terms, mis suegros often equals “my mother-in-law and father-in-law.” It can also mean “my in-laws” in the wider English sense in some conversations, yet Spanish has other words for other in-law relatives, so context matters.
Quick meanings you’ll meet
- Mis suegros: my spouse’s parents (both together).
- Los suegros: someone’s in-law parents as a category, or a specific couple depending on context.
- Sus suegros: his/her/your (formal) in-law parents.
Singular vs plural in one glance
If you’re talking about one person, you stick to singular: mi suegra (my mother-in-law), mi suegro (my father-in-law). If you mean both parents together, plural does the job: mis suegros.
Spanish plural formation is regular here: suegro → suegros, suegra → suegras. If you want the rule in an official reference, the RAE DPD page on plural formation lays out the standard endings used in Spanish.
How gender works with suegros in real speech
Spanish uses grammatical gender. That shows up in two ways:
- To name one person: suegro (male), suegra (female).
- To name a mixed pair in plural: suegros is the standard plural when you mean the two parents together (a man and a woman as a couple), the same pattern you’ll see in other family words.
If you’re wondering why a masculine plural can refer to a mixed group, the RAE explains this grammar point in its guidance on the generic use of masculine plural. That’s the same logic behind phrases like mis padres meaning “my mom and dad.”
Two common sentence patterns
Pattern 1: Possessive + plural
Mis suegros viven cerca. (My in-law parents live nearby.)
Pattern 2: With a preposition
Vamos a cenar con mis suegros. (We’re going to have dinner with my in-law parents.)
When “suegros” is not the right word
In English, “in-laws” can include your spouse’s siblings, their spouses, and sometimes a wider ring. Spanish does not default to suegros for that whole set. Suegros points to parents. For siblings-in-law you’ll usually hear cuñado (brother-in-law) and cuñada (sister-in-law). For your child’s spouse, you’ll hear yerno (son-in-law) and nuera (daughter-in-law).
There’s also a set phrase you’ll see in writing: familia política. It means “in-law family,” not politics. It’s more common in formal Spanish, forms, and explanatory texts than in casual chat.
Where people slip up and how to dodge it
You don’t need fancy grammar talk to get this right. You just need to watch a few pressure points that show up in daily writing and speaking.
Mix-up 1: Using “suegros” for one person
Wrong: Mi suegros viene mañana.
Right: Mi suegro viene mañana. or Mi suegra viene mañana.
Tip: If your verb is singular, your noun probably should be singular too.
Mix-up 2: Using “suegro” when you mean both parents
Wrong: Voy a ver a mi suegro (said while meaning both parents).
Right: Voy a ver a mis suegros.
If you mean both, plural saves you from a clunky explanation.
Mix-up 3: Confusing “my in-laws” with “my relatives”
Suegros are not your own parents, and they’re not your blood relatives. They’re your partner’s parents in relation to you. If you mean your own parents, you want mis padres.
Mix-up 4: Translating too literally in the other direction
English has “parents-in-law.” Spanish already has a clean option: suegros. Use it. It sounds natural because it is natural.
If you want more family relationship vocabulary in Spanish laid out visually, the Centro Virtual Cervantes has classroom material on family vocabulary (“La familia”) that includes relationship terms learners often need early.
Now, let’s pin down the full set of in-law terms so you can speak with confidence in a wider range of situations.
| Spanish term | English meaning | When you’d use it |
|---|---|---|
| suegro | father-in-law | Your spouse’s dad (one person). |
| suegra | mother-in-law | Your spouse’s mom (one person). |
| suegros | in-law parents | Your spouse’s parents as a pair, or multiple in-law parents. |
| cuñado | brother-in-law | Your spouse’s brother, or your sibling’s husband (context decides). |
| cuñada | sister-in-law | Your spouse’s sister, or your sibling’s wife (context decides). |
| yerno | son-in-law | Your child’s husband. |
| nuera | daughter-in-law | Your child’s wife. |
| familia política | in-law family | More formal label for “in-laws” as a group in writing. |
How to talk about your suegros without sounding stiff
When you speak Spanish with family terms, tone carries a lot of weight. You can be warm without overdoing it. Here are options that sound like real Spanish, not textbook Spanish.
In a casual chat
Mis suegros vienen a casa el sábado.
Hoy comemos con mis suegros.
Mis suegros viven a veinte minutos.
In a polite message
Este fin de semana vamos a visitar a mis suegros.
Gracias por recibirnos en su casa.
When you want to be specific
Sometimes you mean one person and you want to be clear.
- Mi suegra está de cumpleaños.
- Mi suegro trabaja cerca de aquí.
How to avoid awkward repetition
If you’re telling a story and keep repeating mis suegros, you can swap in a natural noun phrase after the first mention:
- Mis suegros viven en Valencia. Sus padres tienen un piso pequeño cerca del centro.
- Fuimos con mis suegros. Luego cenamos todos juntos.
How “los suegros” can shift meaning by context
Spanish often uses los + a plural noun to talk about a known set of people. With los suegros, that can mean:
- A specific pair you both know: “Los suegros llegan a las ocho.”
- In-law parents as a general category: “A veces los suegros viven cerca.”
When you write, a possessive clears it up fast: mis suegros, sus suegros, nuestros suegros.
Mini phrase bank for suegros
These are ready-to-use lines. Swap names, places, and times, and you’re set.
| Spanish | Natural English | Best setting |
|---|---|---|
| Voy a casa de mis suegros. | I’m going to my in-laws’ place. | Everyday speech |
| Mis suegros nos invitaron a cenar. | My in-laws invited us for dinner. | Everyday speech |
| Este domingo comemos con mis suegros. | This Sunday we’re eating with my in-laws. | Plans |
| Mi suegra cocina de maravilla. | My mother-in-law cooks so well. | One person |
| Mi suegro llega mañana. | My father-in-law arrives tomorrow. | One person |
| Saludé a mis suegros al llegar. | I greeted my in-laws when I arrived. | Storytelling |
| Nos quedamos en casa de mis suegros. | We stayed at my in-laws’ place. | Travel visits |
Small details that make your Spanish sound natural
Articles and possessives
Spanish often uses an article where English uses a possessive. In family talk, both show up. These are both normal, with a slight shift in feel:
- Voy a ver a mis suegros. (clear, direct)
- Voy a ver a los suegros. (works when your listener already knows whose in-laws you mean)
“Ustedes,” “vosotros,” and who “sus” refers to
Sus suegros can mean “your in-laws” (formal singular usted), “your in-laws” (plural), or “his/her in-laws,” based on context. If clarity matters, you can name the person: los suegros de Ana.
Writing it correctly
It’s lowercase in normal text: suegros. Capital letters show up at the start of a sentence, or if it’s part of a proper name in a rare context.
A quick self-check before you hit send
If you’re typing a message and want to be sure suegros is right, run these checks:
- Am I talking about my partner’s parents? If yes, suegros fits.
- Do I mean one parent? If yes, use suegro or suegra.
- Do I mean my partner’s sibling? If yes, use cuñado or cuñada.
- Do I mean my child’s spouse? If yes, use yerno or nuera.
Once you lock those in, you’ll spot the pattern everywhere: Spanish family terms are tidy, and Spanish plural does a lot of work.
If you take one thing with you, make it this: suegros is the clean, natural way to say “my mother-in-law and father-in-law” together. Use it when you mean parents. Swap to the other in-law words when you mean siblings or children’s spouses, and your Spanish will sound steady and clear.
References & Sources
- Real Academia Española (RAE).“suegro, suegra | Diccionario de la lengua española.”Definitions and the plural sense that refers to a spouse’s parents as a pair.
- Real Academia Española (RAE) — Diccionario panhispánico de dudas.“plural.”General rules for forming plurals in Spanish, including standard endings.
- Real Academia Española (RAE) — El buen uso del español.“El empleo genérico del masculino.”Explanation of how masculine plural can refer to mixed groups in Spanish grammar.
- Centro Virtual Cervantes (Instituto Cervantes).“La familia (materiales didácticos).”Family vocabulary list that includes common relationship terms used by learners.