How to Say “Little” in Spanish

Which one should you use?

Use pequeño when you are talking about physical size. In contrast, use poco when you want to describe a small quantity or amount.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

For a more informal and affectionate way to say something is little, you can use chiquito/a. In very casual conversation, the colloquial shortened form peque is often used. Additionally, the word poquito is a colloquial diminutive used to emphasize that an amount is very small or to soften a request.

Related words

Not much (adv): poco, poquito.

Small amount (det): poco.

How does it change in a sentence?

The adjective pequeño must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It becomes pequeña for feminine nouns and pequeños for masculine plural nouns. You can also attach the diminutive suffix -ito/a to a noun or adjective to convey affection, smallness or familiarity.

How do you pronounce it?

/peˈkeɲo/

When do people say it?

The diminutive suffix -ito/a is frequently used in Spanish to add a sense of affection, familiarity or to emphasize that something is quite small.