hola, pequeño
/ˈola peˈkeɲo/word by word
The English phrase "hello little boy" is translated into Spanish as hola, pequeño.
This phrase is a friendly greeting used when addressing a young boy.
What does it mean word for word?
The word pequeño literally means "small" or "little" and is used here as a noun to mean "little boy" or "little one".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola peˈkeɲo/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word pequeño shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Welsh word bach and the Irish word beag. This connects the Spanish term for 'small' to ancient Celtic languages of Northern Europe.
- While pequeño is the standard word for 'small', many Spanish speakers shorten it to peque as an affectionate nickname for a child. This creates a much more informal and endearing way to address a little one.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, an adult might call someone pequeño as a playful nickname for any person who is physically short, even if that person is an adult.
Examples in context
- Hola, pequeñín. ¿Cómo estás hoy?Hello, little one. How are you today?
Example conversation
Javier greets María's young son at the park.
- JavierHola, pequeño, ¿estás jugando?Hello little boy, are you playing?
- MaríaSí, estoy jugando con mi pelota.Yes, I am playing with my ball.
- JavierQué bien, te ves muy feliz.That's great, you look very happy.
- MaríaGracias, Javier.Thank you, Javier.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, pequeño) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, pequeño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
