Forums > Specific Focus > Learning Spanish

Esteban

Jun 1, 2004, 5:19 AM

Post #1 of 14 (2178 views)

Shortcut

Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Gemelos...yes I've always used that but while at a friends house yesterday, the family used another word for twins and already I've forgotten it. Anyone know of another word? In fact my amigo asked me if I understood the word..he must have sensed I was lost with it or it's a Mazatlecan thing.

Gracias

esperanza

Jun 1, 2004, 5:27 AM

Post #2 of 14 (2172 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Esteban] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Gemelos(as) is the word for identical twins. The word for fraternal twins is cuates--at least that's the word I've always heard.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Esteban

Jun 1, 2004, 5:37 AM

Post #3 of 14 (2169 views)

Shortcut

Re: [esperanza] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

That's the word! Thanks. It's gender specific too right? Cuates y cuatas?

esperanza

Jun 1, 2004, 6:57 AM

Post #4 of 14 (2169 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Esteban] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Nope, it's always cuates, either las or los. And listen to guys talking to one another on the street (and elsewhere): you will often hear them call one another cuate. <<Oye cuate, qué hubo?>>

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

(This post was edited by esperanza on Jun 1, 2004, 7:01 AM)

PBGollaz

Jun 1, 2004, 8:45 AM

Post #5 of 14 (2170 views)

Shortcut

Re: [esperanza] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I have an uncle in his mid 70s who was born a twin. Although his twin sister died at birth, after more than 70 years everyone in the family still calls him Tío Cuate.

Patrick
Zapopan, Jalisco, México

esperanza

Jun 1, 2004, 1:17 PM

Post #6 of 14 (2163 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Patricio B] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Que dulce, Don Patricio. Penetra como una flecha al corazón.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

quevedo

Jun 1, 2004, 3:35 PM

Post #7 of 14 (2150 views)

Shortcut

Re: [esperanza] Two words for twins?

Can't Post |

Estimada Esperanza:

No, creo que no es así. Deben ser los cuates y las cuatas.

Otra palabra para twins es jimaguas.

Un saludo cordial,

Quevedo

(This post was edited by quevedo on Jun 1, 2004, 3:36 PM)

esperanza

Jun 1, 2004, 4:03 PM

Post #8 of 14 (2144 views)

Shortcut

Re: [quevedo] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Bueno, pues, Quevedo...me equivoqué. Gracias por corregirme, siempre me encanta aprender algo nuevo.

Ahora me tienes pensativa. Cúantas palabras más que terminan en 'e' se cambian así? No nos dices otras?

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

PBGollaz

Jun 1, 2004, 6:33 PM

Post #9 of 14 (2139 views)

Shortcut

Re: [quevedo] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

¡Hola! Maestro Quevedo,

¿Y ahora que lo estoy pensando, no podemos también agregar a la lista los mellizos?

Saludos,

Patrick
Zapopan, Jalisco, México

raferguson

Jun 1, 2004, 7:39 PM

Post #10 of 14 (2133 views)

Shortcut

Re: [esperanza] Other use of cuate?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I thought about the word cuate, and it seems that I have heard it more often that I would have if it was used exclusively for "twins" in the biological sense.

My dictionary says that cuate can also mean "pals", kind of like when we call someone "brother", that it does not always mean a blood relationship, but a special friendship like a blood brother or twin.

Have other people heard "cuate" used in the sense of "pals"?

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

esperanza

Jun 1, 2004, 8:01 PM

Post #11 of 14 (2131 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] Other use of cuate?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I believe that I mentioned the usage as 'pals' in an earlier post in this same thread.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

quevedo

Jun 2, 2004, 10:04 AM

Post #12 of 14 (2121 views)

Shortcut

Re: [esperanza] Two words for twins?

Can't Post |

Bueno, por ejemplo, Pepe y Pepa.

¿Alguien tendrá alguna otra?

Saludos cordiales,

Quevedo

quevedo

Jun 2, 2004, 10:07 AM

Post #13 of 14 (2120 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Patricio B] Two words for twins?

Can't Post |

¡Excelente! Mellizos también.

Saludos,

Quevedo

P.D.: ¿Maestro? Gracias, estimado Patricio, pero siento que amigo me va mejor.

PBGollaz

Jun 2, 2004, 2:51 PM

Post #14 of 14 (2111 views)

Shortcut

Re: [quevedo] Two words for twins?

Can't Post | Private Reply

¿Les parece presidente/presidenta? O, tratandose de una no tan común (¡ja, ja!) ¿Qué tal ordinariote/ordinariota?

Patrick
Zapopan, Jalisco, México