júnior
/ˈxunjoɾ/
The English word 'junior' translates to Spanish as júnior. If unsure, use júnior. It is also spelled junior.
Meaning: younger (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| júnior | /ˈxunjoɾ/ /ˈʝunjoɾ/ |
|
| junior | /xunjoɾ/ (from spelling rules) | alternative form |
The word can be used as an adjective meaning 'younger' or as a noun to refer to someone who is younger than another person. The term 'júnior' is used in official contexts, such as legal or professional documents, to indicate a junior position or status.
Which one should you use?
júnior is the standard Spanish spelling, while junior is an alternative spelling. The use of the informal 'Junior' is more common within Hispanic communities living in English-speaking countries.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, júnior is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether you are describing a male or a female. When used as a noun, the plural form is júniores.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈxunjoɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American contexts, calling someone el júnior can be a sarcastic way to describe a 'spoiled' child of a wealthy or powerful person.
- While English speakers use 'Junior' as a suffix after a name, in many Spanish-speaking cultures, the name is simply repeated or the concept of a suffix is replaced by the phrase hijo meaning 'son'.
- The word júnior is actually a phonetic descendant of the Latin word iuvenis, which is also the root of the English word 'juvenile'.
Examples in context
- Tom y Mary tuvieron un niño y lo llamaron Tom Junior.Tom and Mary had a child and called him Tom Junior.This sentence shows how the form junior is used when naming a child after a parent.Tatoeba #2740278 by hantol01, translation #2740266 by Hybrid
- Mi nombre completo es Ricardo Vernaut Junior.My full name is Ricardo Vernaut Junior.This sentence demonstrates the use of the form junior in a full name.Tatoeba #3665264 by Ricardo14, translation #2787393 by Ricardo14
- El señor Martínez, júnior, fue ascendido a vicepresidente ejecutivo de la compañía.Mr. Martínez, junior, was promoted to executive vice president of the company.
- La posición de director júnior requiere al menos cinco años de experiencia previa.The position of junior director requires at least five years of previous experience.
- Como empleada júnior, me gustaría aprender de los profesionales más experimentados.As a junior employee, I would like to learn from more experienced professionals.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking about a new hire in the office.
- Lucía¿Quién es el chico nuevo que llegó hoy?Who is the new guy that arrived today?
- DanielEs el abogado júnior que contratamos ayer.He is the junior lawyer we hired yesterday.
- LucíaParece muy joven para el puesto.He seems very young for the position.
- DanielSí, pero tiene un currículum excelente.Yes, but he has an excellent resume.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “junior” translations and entries júnior, junior, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries junior, júnior, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
