niñero
/niˈɲeɾo/masculine
The Spanish word for 'manny' is niñero.
niñero is a masculine noun used to refer to a male nanny.
Meaning: male nanny (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of niñero is niñera. If you are referring to a group of male nannies or a mixed-gender group of nannies, use the plural form niñeros.
How do you pronounce it?
/niˈɲeɾo/
When do people say it?
Don Manuel is an honorific way to address Manny to show respect.
Did you know?
- Despite the gender-specific form niñero, the profession of childcare in Spain and Latin America is so heavily feminized that the term niñera is often used as a generic term for the role regardless of the person's gender.
- The word niñero comes from the root niño combined with the suffix -ero, which evolved from the Latin -ārius.
- In certain dialects, using the term niñero might sound slightly more old-fashioned than using the more modern 'nanny' loanwords in wealthy urban areas.
Examples in context
- Él trabaja como niñero en la ciudad.He works as a nanny in the city.
- Necesitamos un niñero para los niños.We need a male nanny for the children.
- El niñero es muy amable con los bebés.The nanny is very kind to the babies.
Example conversation
Sofía is asking Javier for help with childcare.
- Javier¿Buscas un niñero para tus hijos, Sofía?Are you looking for a nanny for your children, Sofía?
- SofíaSí, Javier, necesito uno con mucha experiencia.Yes, Javier, I need one with a lot of experience.
- JavierPuedo recomendarte a un niñero excelente.I can recommend an excellent nanny to you.
- Sofía¡Eso sería genial, gracias!That would be great, thanks!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “manny” translations and entries niñero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries niñero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
