nieto
/ˈnjeto/masculine
The Spanish word for grandchild is nieto.
The term refers to the child of one’s child. In Spanish, you must specify the gender of the grandchild being discussed.
Meaning: child of one’s child (noun)
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English word 'grandchild', Spanish requires you to specify the gender of the grandchild using either nieto for a male or nieta for a female.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, nieto/a is the most commonly used way to refer to a grandchild. In Mexico, the endearing forms nietito/a are used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gender of the noun changes based on the individual: nieto is the masculine form (grandson) and nieta is the feminine form (granddaughter). When referring to a group, use the masculine plural nietos for a mixed-gender group of grandchildren or the feminine plural nietas for a group consisting only of female grandchildren.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnjeto/
Did you know?
- The word nieto shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Latin word neptis, which specifically referred to a granddaughter.
- Spanish has a specific term for a great-great-grandchild, which is tataranieto.
- In Spanish, the term nieto can be used to refer to a great-grandchild by adding the prefix bis-, resulting in bisnieto.
Examples in context
- Tom no es el único nieto de Mary.Tom isn't Mary's only grandchild.This sentence shows how to use nieto to talk about a person being the only grandchild.Tatoeba #6760488 by swyter, translation #6437390 by CK
- El anciano era acompañado por su nieto.The old man was accompanied by his grandchild.This sentence uses nieto to describe an old man being accompanied by his grandchild.Tatoeba #2801057 by marcelostockle, translation #43353 by CK
- Puede que mi nieto sea la primera persona que ponga los pies en Marte.Maybe my grandchild will be the first person to set foot on Mars.This sentence uses nieto to express a possibility regarding a grandchild's future.Tatoeba #1063353 by Shishir, translation #593655 by darinmex
- El nacimiento de un nieto es una bendición familiar.The birth of a grandchild is a family blessing.
- Mi nietecita es la luz de mis ojos.My little granddaughter is the light of my eyes.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are talking about their families in a park.
- María¿Tienes algún nieto, Mateo?Do you have any grandchildren, Mateo?
- MateoSí, tengo un nieto de cinco años.Yes, I have a five-year-old grandson.
- María¡Qué bien! Mi nieto también es pequeño.That's great! My grandchild is also small.
- MateoLos niños son una alegría.Children are a joy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandchild” translations and entries nieto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
