cosas tiernas
/kosas tjeɾnas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "cute stuff" is translated into Spanish as cosas tiernas.
cosas tiernas is used to describe adorable objects, such as baby clothes, stuffed animals or sweet internet memes. You might also encounter words like amorcito (little love) or corazón (sweetheart) when expressing affection.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cosas (things) and tiernas (tender/soft/cute).
Which one should you use?
While cosas tiernas implies a sense of sweetness or 'aww-inducing' softness, cosas lindas is a more general way to say 'pretty things' or 'nice things'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective tiernas must agree in gender and number with the feminine noun cosas. To refer to a single piece of cute stuff, use the singular form cosa tierna.
Did you know?
- In some Caribbean dialects, calling something tierno might actually refer to something being 'fresh' or 'newly made', such as a piece of fruit.
- Using tierna to describe a child is very common, but if you call a romantic partner tierno in certain countries, it may sound too platonic or like you are treating them like a baby.
- The phrase cosas tiernas is often associated with the 'kawaii' culture from Japan, leading some younger Spanish speakers to use the Japanese word 'kawaii' as a loanword instead.
Examples in context
- Me encantan esas cosas tiernas.I love that cute stuff.
- Ella siempre compra cosas tiernas.She always buys cute stuff.
- Esa tienda vende cosas tiernas.That shop sells cute stuff.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are visiting a gift shop.
- JavierMira cuántas cosas tiernas hay en esta tienda.Look how many cute things there are in this store.
- SofíaEs verdad, todo es muy bonito.It's true, everything is very pretty.
- JavierQuiero comprar algunas cosas tiernas para mi hermana.I want to buy some cute stuff for my sister.
- SofíaA ella le va a encantar.She is going to love it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
