half-siblings

Question

Are two half-brothers los medios hermanos or los medio hermanos? Do they use hyphens?

Answer 1

I would say "medio hermanos".

I agree with Coffee :D - SonrisaDelSol, Jun 20, 2011

Answer 2

Just as in English you will see half-brother and half brother, you will see both in Spanish. I think in Spanish medio hermano (without a hypen) is more correct.

Notice the use of medio-hermano in the next-to-last reply in this thread. You do not see the hypen in any of the formal definitions cited.

Answer 3

Are hyphens " - " ever used in Spanish?

guión

hyphen

Ian,

I have a question for you in return. «guión» diphthong or triphthong? (usually the u after a g to maintain the g sound is not counted as a vowel. If the ió is a diphthong why is the accent needed as the o is the strong vowel? How many syllables are in the word? Is the accent mark to place the stress on the last syllable because of the "n"? (moot if it is a monosyllabic word). See the problems that your questions cause!

Q

[I suspect that the accent mark is there to "break" the diphthong...make the word 2 syllables rather than one].

Answer 4

Are hyphens " - " ever used in Spanish?

Answer 5

Half-brothers are "medio hermanos".
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Also, be careful with the word "hermanastro/a" as it can mean step-brother/sister, or sometimes half-brother/sister. Here's a forum discussion about it: link text

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In Peru we would say a half-brother was "mi hermano por parte de papá" ("my half brother through my dad"). This avoids any possible confusion!