soy hijo único
/soi ixo uniko/from spelling rules
To say "I am an only child" in Spanish, you use soy hijo único.
This phrase is used to state that a person has no siblings. You can also express this idea by saying No tengo hermanos ni hermanas, which means "I do not have any brothers or sisters."
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree with your gender. A male speaker uses the masculine form soy hijo único, while a female speaker must use the feminine form soy hija única.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the concept of hermanos extends to include close cousins, meaning someone claiming to be hijo único might still refer to their cousins as their 'brothers' or 'sisters'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the concept of being an 'only child' is sometimes jokingly referred to as being a hijo único in a way that implies being spoiled or pampered by one's parents.
- The spelling of the word hijo changed significantly over time, transitioning from the Old Spanish form fijo to the modern version we use today.
Examples in context
- Soy hijo único.I am an only child.This sentence is useful for stating that you are an only child using soy hijo único.Tatoeba #475887 by Espi, translation #256056 by CK
- Además de ser hijo único/hija única, tampoco tengo primos ni primasApart from being an only child, I also don't have any cousins
- No tengo hermanos, soy hijo único.I have no siblings, I am an only child.
- Mis padres solo tienen un hijo, soy hijo único.My parents only have one son, I am an only child.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are talking about their families at a coffee shop.
- Javier¿Tienes hermanos o eres hijo único?Do you have siblings or are you an only child?
- SofíaSoy hija única, ¿y tú?I am an only child, and you?
- JavierYo también, soy hijo único.Me too, I am an only child.
- Sofía¡Qué coincidencia!What a coincidence!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hijo, soy, único, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
