Palabra Lexi · common words in Spanish
How to say "child" in Spanish
"Child" in Spanish is niño, pronounced NEE-nyoh (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a masculine noun (el niño, plural los niños).
| Spanish | niño |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | NEE-nyoh |
| Meaning | child |
| Gender | masculine: el niño |
| Plural | los niños |
| Frequency | #13 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 niño
Niño is pronounced NEE-nyoh, in IPA /ˈniɲo/. Niño has two syllables, NEE-nyoh, 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. On a keyboard without Spanish letters it is often typed "nino"; the correct spelling is niño.
- Ñ sounds like the ny in "canyon".
Listen: normal and slow speed, in your browser's Spanish voice. IPA: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Is niño masculine or feminine?
Niño is masculine, so it takes el (the) and un (a): el niño. The plural is los niños. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -o are masculine.
Example sentences
El niño juega
the child is playing
El niño duerme
The child sleeps
"Child" in Spain and Latin America
Other words you will hear
- niña — a girl
- crío / cría — Spain, informal: kid
- chamaco / chamaca — Mexico, informal: kid
- hijo / hija — son / daughter, when you mean "my child"
Useful phrases
- los niños
children, kids
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 niño
niño [NEE-nyoh] sounds like the English “ninja”. Picture this:
The child moves like a tiny ninja: silent past the kitchen, straight to the cookie jar.
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice niño
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.