niño
standard, Colombia
In Colombia "child" is niño for a boy and niña for a girl. In casual talk Colombians also say pelado or pelada, and chino or china in Bogotá.
Meaning: young person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| niño | standard, Colombia |
| niña | girl |
| pelado | slang, Colombia |
Los niños can mean the children in a group of mixed gender. A mother may call her child mijo or mija, short for mi hijo and mi hija, as a term of affection.
Which one should you use?
Niño is the right word in school, in writing and with strangers. Pelado is slang and sounds natural in everyday chat.
How does it change in a sentence?
Niño is masculine, niña feminine. The plural niños covers both.
Did you know?
- Colombian parents very often call their children mijo and mija, even once they are adults.
Examples in context
- Los niños juegan en el parque.The children play in the park.
- Mija, venga a comer.Honey, come eat.
- Esa niña es muy inteligente.That child is very smart.
Example conversation
Teacher Sandra welcomes the Niños of her class in Bogotá, including Sofía.
- SandraBuenos días, niños.Good morning, children.
- NiñosBuenos días, profe.Good morning, teacher.
- SandraHoy vamos a pintar.Today we are going to paint.
- Sofía¡Qué chévere!How cool!
