Which one should you use?
The spelling of the word is critical to its meaning. bebé is the noun for a baby, whereas bebe without the accent is a conjugated verb meaning he/she drinks or he/she bathes.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American regions, such as the Caribbean, the informal term Guagua is used for a baby or young child. In Spain, the informal and endearing term Churumbel is used to refer to a baby.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun for 'baby' must be spelled with an accent on the final 'e': bebé. Without this accent, the word bebe functions as the third-person singular present tense of the verbs beber (to drink) or bañarse (to bathe).
How do you pronounce it?
/beˈbe/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not omit the accent mark when you intend to say 'baby'. Writing bebe instead of bebé will change the meaning from a noun to a verb meaning 'he/she drinks' or 'he/she bathes'.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word bebé is not native to the language but was adopted as a loanword from the French bébé.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the term bebé is frequently used as a romantic term of endearment between adults, similar to the English word 'baby'.
- Spanish speakers make a strict conceptual distinction between a bebé and a niño, where the former is specifically an infant and the latter covers a much wider age range.
Examples in context
- Ven aquí, guaguaCome here, baby
- ¡Ven aquí, bebito!Come here, little baby!
- El bebé está durmiendo.The baby is sleeping.
- Compré ropa para el bebé.I bought clothes for the baby.
- Ese bebé tiene ojos azules.That baby has blue eyes.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are visiting a friend's house.
- Lucía¿Es este el nuevo bebé?Is this the new baby?
- AlejandroSí, es un bebé muy lindo.Yes, he is a very cute baby.
- Lucía¡Qué alegría verlo por fin!How wonderful to finally see him!
- AlejandroÉl también está feliz de verte.He is happy to see you too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bebé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bebé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
