vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Novio" is a form of "novio", a noun which is often translated as "boyfriend". "Novia" is a form of "novia", a noun which is often translated as "bride". Learn more about the difference between "novio" and "novia" below.
el novio, la novia(
noh
-
byoh
)This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
a. boyfriend (masculine)
Su novio viene a verla todos los días.Her boyfriend comes to visit her every day.
b. girlfriend (feminine)
Enrique invitó su novia a cenar en un restaurante elegante.Enrique treated his girlfriend to dinner in a chic restaurant.
a. groom (masculine)
El novio llegó a la iglesia en limusina.The groom arrived at the church in a limousine.
b. bridegroom (masculine)
La madre del novio lo acompañó hasta la entrada de la iglesia.The bridegroom's mother accompanied him to the church entrance.
b. fiancée (feminine)
Samuel y su novia se van a casar en junio.Samuel and his fiancée are going to get married in June.
los novios
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
a. bride and groom
Los novios bailaron mientras los invitados miraban.The bride and groom danced as the guests looked on.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¿Desde cuándo son novios?How long have they been dating?
Fueron amigos durante años y después se hicieron novios.They were friends for years and then they started going out.
la novia(
noh
-
byah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
a. bride
La novia caminó por la nave central en dirección al novio.The bride walked down the aisle to her groom.
a. girlfriend
Antonia es la novia de Felipe. Llevan dos años saliendo.Antonia is Felipe's girlfriend. They have been going out for two years.
a. fiancée
¡No lo vas a creer! Andrés rompió con su novia. - ¡Se casaban el mes que viene!You won't believe this! Andres broke up with his fiancée. - They were getting married next month!