Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say "Kid" in Spanish
Niño · noun · NEE-nyoh
Niño (masculine) and niña (feminine) are the universal Spanish words for 'kid' or 'child.' Chico and chica work for older children and teenagers in a casual register. Regional alternatives abound: chamaco in Mexico, chavo in Central America, and pibe in Argentina. All convey the idea of a young person, but the connotation shifts with geography and formality.
NEE-nyoh / NEE-nyah
Los niños están jugando en el patio de la escuela.
The kids are playing in the schoolyard.
kid in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for kid, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| niño | kid | NEE-nyoh | Default, widely understood |
| niña | kid | feminine form | |
| chico/chica | kid | informal, also means teenager | |
| chamaco/chamaca | kid | Mexico, colloquial |
How Native Speakers Use Niño
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Talking about children in general
Hay tres niños en la familia: dos niñas y un niño.
There are three kids in the family: two girls and one boy.
Niño/niña is the safest default in any Spanish-speaking country and works across all registers.
Calling out to a teenager (Mexico)
¡Oye, chamaco, ven acá un momento!
Hey, kid, come here for a moment!
Chamaco is a distinctly Mexican colloquialism that adults use to address or refer to young people.
A parent speaking casually
Los chicos ya se fueron a dormir.
The kids already went to bed.
Chicos is a relaxed, widely understood alternative to niños that parents often use at home.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Niño
Using masculine plural for a group of girls
Incorrect: Las niños están contentas.
Correct: Las niñas están contentas.
When all members of the group are female, the feminine form niñas must be used along with the feminine article las.
Using chiquito as a synonym for kid
Incorrect: El chiquito juega fútbol todos los días.
Correct: El niño juega fútbol todos los días.
Chiquito means 'little one' and works as a term of endearment, but niño is the proper noun for 'kid' or 'child' in neutral descriptions.
Lock in kid 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 Niño used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using niño in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Los niños están jugando en el patio de la escuela. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About kid in Spanish
- What is the difference between niño and chico?
- Niño usually refers to a child roughly under 12 years old and is the more formal option. Chico can stretch from childhood through the teenage years and carries a casual, familiar tone. In some regions, chico is also used for young adults.
- Is chamaco understood outside Mexico?
- It is recognized but not commonly used outside Mexico and parts of Central America. If you use chamaco in Spain or South America, people will understand you but may find it amusing or unfamiliar.
- How do you say 'kids' as a plural in Spanish?
- The plural of niño is niños (mixed or all-male group) and niñas (all-female group). In everyday speech, los niños or los chicos serves as a gender-neutral default for a group of children.