monaguillo
/monaˈɡiʝo/
The English phrase "choir boy" is translated into Spanish as monaguillo.
The term refers to a young boy who assists a priest during religious services in a church.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, the term acólito may be used instead of monaguillo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of monaguillo is monaguillos.
How do you pronounce it?
/monaˈɡiʝo/
Did you know?
- While monaguillo refers to the altar server, Spanish uses the specific phrase niño de coro for boys who actually sing in the choir.
- If you use the word monaguillo to describe a person in a non-religious context, you might be calling them someone who is overly subservient or follows a boss around.
- The word monaguillo is actually a diminutive, which means it literally translates to 'little monk'.
Examples in context
- Me gusta cuando el niño del coro canta solo.I like it when the choir boy sings solo.
- El monaguillo lleva la cruz en la procesión.The choir boy carries the cross in the procession.
- Mi hermano pequeño es monaguillo en la iglesia.My little brother is a choir boy in the church.
- ¿Viste al monaguillo que ayudó al padre?Did you see the choir boy who helped the priest?
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about their childhood.
- LucíaTú eras monaguillo cuando eras niño, ¿verdad?You were a choir boy when you were a child, right?
- JavierSí, fui monaguillo durante tres años.Yes, I was a choir boy for three years.
- LucíaFue una experiencia interesante.It was an interesting experience.
- JavierSí, me gustaba ayudar en la misa.Yes, I liked helping during the mass.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry monaguillo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries monaguillo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
