bebé
/beˈbe/masculine
The Spanish word for baby is bebé. If unsure, use bebé. Wiktionary also lists nene and bebe.
Meaning: very young human being (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bebé | /beˈbe/ | masculine |
| nene | /ˈnene/ | masculine |
| bebe | /ˈbebe/ | Argentina, masculine |
| guagua | /ˈɡwaɡwa/ | Bolivia, Chile, feminine, masculine |
| bebo | /ˈbebo/ | masculine |
The term is used to describe a very young human being.
Which one should you use?
The noun bebé always carries an accent on the final e.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While bebé is the standard term, you can use the diminutive forms bebecito/a or bebito/a to refer to a baby in an endearing and informal way. The term nene is a more colloquial and affectionate way to refer to a baby or a very young child.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Chile, Bolivia and parts of Peru and the Andes, the word guagua is a common term for a baby.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun bebé is masculine and traditionally requires a masculine article like el even if the baby is female, although la bebé is increasingly used in modern contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
/beˈbe/
Did you know?
- The word guagua is used for a baby in the Andes, but in many other Spanish-speaking countries, it refers to a public bus.
- The standard Spanish word bebé is not originally Spanish but was borrowed from French.
Examples in context
- Ese bebé es Tom.That baby is Tom.This sentence is useful for identifying a baby.Tatoeba #1258396 by marcelostockle, translation #465073 by CK
- El bebé me sonrió.The baby smiled at me.This sentence is useful for describing a baby's reaction.Tatoeba #1242568 by Shishir, translation #272361 by CK
- El bebé se durmió.The baby fell asleep.This sentence is useful for describing a baby's actions.Tatoeba #1569325 by hayastan, translation #45853 by CK
- El bebé está dormido.The baby is sleeping.
- ¿Cómo se llama su bebé?What is your baby's name?
- ¡Mira qué bebito tan tierno!Look at this adorable little baby!
- 320 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are looking at a photo.
- SofíaMira este bebé, es muy lindo.Look at this baby, he is very cute.
- MateoSí, tiene los ojos grandes.Yes, he has big eyes.
- SofíaEs el bebé de mi prima.He is my cousin's baby.
- MateoSe ve muy feliz en la foto.He looks very happy in the photo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baby” translations and entries bebé, nene, bebe, guagua, bebo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bebe, bebé, guagua, nene, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
