Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| niño | /ˈniɲo/ | masculine |
| chaval | /t͡ʃaˈbal/ | masculine, slang |
| varón | /baˈɾon/ | masculine |
| chico | /ˈt͡ʃiko/ | masculine |
The term 'boy' in Spanish can be expressed in several ways depending on whether you are referring to a young child, an adolescent or a biological male.
Which one should you use?
niño is the most common way to refer to a young child. For older boys or adolescents, chico is more appropriate. If you need to specify the biological sex of a person as 'male' rather than just the age group 'boy', use varón.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
chaval is a slang term used to mean 'kid' or 'lad'. varón is a more formal or biological term used to specify the male sex.
Is it said differently in some regions?
chaval is a slang term primarily used in Spain. In some regions of Latin America, the word muchacho is used informally to refer to teenagers or young adults.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the masculine niño to the feminine form niña (girl), change the final -o to -a.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈniɲo/
Did you know?
- The slang term chaval comes from the Romani language and is related to the English word 'chav'.
Examples in context
- ¿Es niño o niña?Is it a boy or a girl?This sentence is useful for asking whether a subject is a boy or a girl using niño.Tatoeba #1925573 by marcelostockle, translation #276835 by CK
- Esto es un niño.This is a boy.This sentence is useful for identifying a boy using niño.Tatoeba #2508079 by cueyayotl, translation #4454067 by katherine425
- Este es el niño.This is the boy.This sentence is useful for specifying a particular boy using niño.Tatoeba #3517854 by cueyayotl, translation #56312 by CM
- Carlos es un chico muy educado y responsable. Siempre hace su tarea a tiempo.Carlos is a very polite and responsible boy. He always does his homework on time.
- Ese niño es tan travieso, siempre está haciendo travesuras.That boy is so mischievous, always up to mischief.
- Hay muchos muchachos en la fiesta de hoy. Será divertido.There are many young people at today's party. It's going to be fun.
- 688 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are watching children play in a park.
- María¿Ves a ese niño corriendo?Do you see that boy running?
- DanielSí, es un niño muy rápido.Yes, he is a very fast boy.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿crees que es su hermano?Daniel, do you think he is his brother?
- DanielNo lo sé, pero el niño parece feliz.I don't know, but the boy looks happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boy” translations and entries niño, chaval, varón, chico, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chaval, chico, niño, varón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
