Palabra Lexi · common words in Spanish
How to say "boy" in Spanish
"Boy" in Spanish is chico, pronounced CHEE-koh (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a masculine noun (el chico, plural los chicos). Also: muchacho (boy).
| Spanish | chico |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | CHEE-koh |
| Meaning | boy |
| Gender | masculine: el chico |
| Plural | los chicos |
| Frequency | #100 in the Palabra list of common Spanish words |
Pronunciation is spelled out in English, one syllable at a time, with the stressed syllable in capitals. The speaker button uses your browser's built-in Spanish voice. Gender and plural: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
How to pronounce chico
Chico is pronounced CHEE-koh, in IPA /ˈt͡ʃiko/. Chico has two syllables, CHEE-koh, with the stress on the first. There is no written accent because the word follows the basic rule: words ending in a vowel, -n or -s are stressed on the second-to-last syllable.
Listen: normal and slow speed, in your browser's Spanish voice. IPA: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Is chico masculine or feminine?
Chico is masculine, so it takes el (the) and un (a): el chico. The plural is los chicos. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -o are masculine.
Example sentences
El chico es muy alto.
The boy is very tall.
El chico juega
The boy plays
"Boy" in Spain and Latin America
Other words you will hear
- chaval — Spain, informal: lad
- chavo — Mexico, informal
- pibe — Argentina, informal
- niño — a young boy, a child
Regional words and roots: Diccionario de la lengua española (RAE). Spanish varies by region, so treat these as the most common patterns, not strict rules.
How to remember chico
chico [CHEE-koh] sounds like the English “chicko”. Picture this:
A boy pretends to be a chicken, flapping his arms and clucking in the yard.
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice chico
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.