novio
/ˈnobjo/masculine
The Spanish word for boyfriend is novio. Wiktionary also lists pololo and chongo.
Meaning: male partner in a romantic relationship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| novio | /ˈnobjo/ | masculine |
| pololo | /poˈlolo/ | Chile, masculine |
| chongo | /ˈt͡ʃonɡo/ | Argentina, masculine |
| jevo | /xebo/ (from spelling rules) | Latin America, masculine |
| gebo | /xebo/ (from spelling rules) | Puerto Rico, masculine |
The term refers to a male partner in a romantic relationship. While novio is the standard term, you may also hear amor (love) used to refer to a boyfriend or girlfriend or pareja (partner) used as an informal way to refer to a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Which one should you use?
In many Spanish-speaking contexts, novio can mean both boyfriend and fiancé. The feminine form of the word is novia, which means girlfriend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Different regions use specific terms for boyfriend: pololo is used in Chile, chongo is used in Argentina and gebo is used in Puerto Rico. In parts of Latin America, the colloquial term jevo is also used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of novio is novia.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnobjo/
Did you know?
- In Chile, the term for boyfriend is pololo, which derives from the Mapudungun word for a fly. It is thought to stem from the idea of a fly buzzing around or being a constant, small presence.
- The term jevo is a colloquialism used in various Caribbean regions, and it is often used to describe someone who is attractive or a 'catch'.
- In Argentina, the slang term chongo for a boyfriend is quite informal and is often used in the context of casual or non-committal relationships.
Examples in context
- ¿No era tu novio?Wasn't he your boyfriend?This sentence is useful for checking someone's relationship status using novio.Tatoeba #1686607 by Shishir, translation #1667035 by Spamster
- ¿Tom es tu novio?Tom is your boyfriend?This sentence is useful for asking if a specific person is someone's novio.Tatoeba #3135478 by marcelostockle, translation #3068269 by Hybrid
- Su novio es turco.Her boyfriend is Turkish.This sentence is useful for describing a person's boyfriend using novio.Tatoeba #571808 by Shishir, translation #1502830 by CN
- Mi novio es muy cariñoso.My boyfriend is very affectionate
- Estoy saliendo con un chico muy especial.I'm dating a very special guy.
- 218 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía is introducing someone to Javier.
- JavierHola Lucía, ¿quién es él?Hi Lucía, who is he?
- LucíaJavier, él es mi novio.Javier, he is my boyfriend.
- JavierMucho gusto, es un placer conocerlo.Nice to meet you, it's a pleasure to meet him.
- LucíaGracias, mi novio también quiere saludarte.Thanks, my boyfriend also wants to say hello.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boyfriend” translations and entries novio, pololo, chongo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chongo, novio, pololo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
