Is it antepasados or ancestros?

Both are correct, but antepasados is the traditional and more widely used word in everyday Spanish. Ancestros is a cognate from English/French that has entered Spanish more recently and is accepted by the RAE. In genealogical research, historical writing, and formal speeches, antepasados remains the preferred term. Ancestros appears more often in pop culture and media influenced by English.

How do you talk about family heritage in Spanish?

Key phrases include mis antepasados eran de… (my ancestors were from…), mi familia tiene raíces en… (my family has roots in…), and de parte de mi madre/padre (on my mother's/father's side). For indigenous heritage discussions, often heard is nuestros antepasados indígenas (our indigenous ancestors). Herencia (heritage) and raíces (roots) are the two nouns that frame these conversations.

What is the singular form of antepasados?

The singular is antepasado (masculine) or antepasada (feminine). However, the singular is rarely used because people typically talk about ancestors as a group: mis antepasados. When referring to one specific ancestor, you would say mi antepasado (my ancestor) or una antepasada notable (a notable female ancestor).

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

ANCESTORS in Spanish: ANTEPASADOS

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Antepasados · noun · ahn-teh-pah-SAH-dohs

Ancestors in Spanish is antepasados, literally meaning 'those who came before' (ante = before, pasados = passed/gone). The cognate ancestros also exists and is gaining usage, particularly in academic and genealogical contexts. In everyday family conversations, some speakers loosely use los abuelos (the grandparents) to refer to earlier generations, though this is imprecise.

ahn-teh-pah-SAH-dohs

Mis antepasados emigraron de España hace más de cien años.

My ancestors emigrated from Spain over a hundred years ago.

Ancestors in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for ancestors, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
antepasados	ancestors	ahn-teh-pah-SAH-dohs	Default, widely understood
ancestros	ancestors		cognate form, increasingly common
abuelos	ancestors		informal — grandparents used loosely for forebears

How Native Speakers Use Antepasados

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Family history

Los antepasados de mi madre eran agricultores en Oaxaca.

My mother's ancestors were farmers in Oaxaca.

Antepasados is the standard word for discussing genealogy.

Cultural heritage

Honramos a nuestros ancestros en las festividades tradicionales.

We honor our ancestors in traditional celebrations.

Ancestros works well in ceremonial and cultural contexts.

DNA testing

La prueba de ADN reveló que mis antepasados venían de tres continentes.

The DNA test revealed that my ancestors came from three continents.

Prueba de ADN is how Spanish speakers refer to a DNA test.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Antepasados

Using ancestores with an e

Incorrect: Mis ancestores vivían en una aldea pequeña.

Correct: Mis ancestros vivían en una aldea pequeña.

The correct form is ancestros (without the extra e). Adding an e between the t and r mirrors the English pronunciation but creates a nonstandard Spanish word.

Confusing antepasados with pasados

Incorrect: Mis pasados eran de Italia.

Correct: Mis antepasados eran de Italia.

Pasados alone means 'past' or 'bygone'—it is an adjective, not a noun for ancestors. The prefix ante- (before) is essential to form the noun antepasados (forebears).

Lock in Ancestors Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Antepasados used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using antepasados in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mis antepasados emigraron de España hace más de cien años. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Ancestors in Spanish

Is it antepasados or ancestros?: Both are correct, but antepasados is the traditional and more widely used word in everyday Spanish. Ancestros is a cognate from English/French that has entered Spanish more recently and is accepted by the RAE. In genealogical research, historical writing, and formal speeches, antepasados remains the preferred term. Ancestros appears more often in pop culture and media influenced by English.
How do you talk about family heritage in Spanish?: Key phrases include mis antepasados eran de… (my ancestors were from…), mi familia tiene raíces en… (my family has roots in…), and de parte de mi madre/padre (on my mother's/father's side). For indigenous heritage discussions, often heard is nuestros antepasados indígenas (our indigenous ancestors). Herencia (heritage) and raíces (roots) are the two nouns that frame these conversations.
What is the singular form of antepasados?: The singular is antepasado (masculine) or antepasada (feminine). However, the singular is rarely used because people typically talk about ancestors as a group: mis antepasados. When referring to one specific ancestor, you would say mi antepasado (my ancestor) or una antepasada notable (a notable female ancestor).