hija
/ˈixa/
The Spanish word hija means daughter.
hija is used to refer to a female child in relation to her parents. For example, you can say mi hija to mean "my daughter".
Which one should you use?
hija specifically refers to a female child, whereas hijo refers to a male child.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a group of children that includes both daughters and sons, or a group consisting only of sons, the masculine plural form hijos is used.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈixa/
Did you know?
- Using hija as a direct address to a stranger, like a waitress or a shopkeeper, can be seen as either incredibly warm or quite patronizing depending on the country.
- The silent 'h' in hija is a relic of the word's history, as it once began with an 'f' sound in Old Spanish as fija.
- In some regions, the phrase hija de… is the start of a common vulgar insult, though it literally translates to 'daughter of'.
Examples in context
- Tiene una hija muy talentosa, ¿verdad?You have a very talented daughter, don't you?
- ¿Cómo está tu hija, chica?How is your daughter, girl?
- Mi hija es muy inteligenteMy daughter is very intelligent.
- Hablé con tu hija ayerI talked to your daughter yesterday.
- ¿Dónde está mi hija?Where is my daughter?
- ¡Hola, cariño! ¿Cómo está tu hija?Hello, darling! How is your daughter?
- ¡Hola, mi vida! Cuéntame más sobre tu hija.Hello, my love! Tell me more about your daughter.
- Su hija es muy inteligente.His daughter is very intelligent.
- Tengo una hija de diez años.I have a ten-year-old daughter.
- La hija de mi vecina vive en Madrid.My neighbor's daughter lives in Madrid.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are talking about their families at a cafe.
- Javier¿Tienes alguna hija, Lucía?Do you have a daughter, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, tengo una hija pequeña.Yes, I have a little daughter.
- JavierQué bueno, ¿cómo se llama tu hija?That's great, what is your daughter's name?
- LucíaSe llama Elena.Her name is Elena.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hija, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hija, CC BY-SA 4.0.
