bebé
/beˈbe/masculine
The Spanish word for baby is 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 refer to a very young human being.
Which one should you use?
bebé is the standard masculine form, while nene is a colloquial term used for a baby or a small child. In Bolivia and Chile, the term guagua is used and can be either masculine or feminine. In Argentina, bebe is a masculine form.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nene is a colloquial way to refer to a baby or a small child.
Is it said differently in some regions?
guagua is a common term for a baby in Chile and Bolivia. bebe is used in Argentina.
How does it change in a sentence?
bebé is a masculine noun. guagua can be used as either a masculine or feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/beˈbe/
Did you know?
- Depending on where you are, the word guagua could be interpreted as a child, a bus or even 'for free'.
- The word bebé is actually a relatively recent addition to Spanish, borrowed from the French word bébé.
Examples in context
- Ese bebé es Tom.That baby is Tom.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific baby using bebé.Tatoeba #1258396 by marcelostockle, translation #465073 by CK
- El bebé me sonrió.The baby smiled at me.This sentence is useful for describing an action performed by a bebé.Tatoeba #1242568 by Shishir, translation #272361 by CK
- El bebé se durmió.The baby fell asleep.This sentence is useful for describing a state of a bebé.Tatoeba #1569325 by hayastan, translation #45853 by CK
- ¡Hola, cariño!Hello, darling!
- Hola, cieloHello, baby
- Mi corazónMy baby or My love
- 320 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are looking at a photo of a newborn.
- AlejandroEse bebé es muy lindo.That baby is very cute.
- ElenaSí, el bebé tiene los ojos grandes.Yes, the baby has big eyes.
- Alejandro¿Es el bebé de tu hermana?Is it your sister's baby?
- ElenaNo, es el bebé de mi prima.No, it is my cousin's baby.
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.
