pequeño
/peˈkeɲo/
The Spanish word pequeño means small.
pequeño is used to describe something that is small in size or amount.
Which one should you use?
To emphasize extreme smallness, you can use minúsculo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, it is common to use chico to mean small. In Mexico, you may encounter the terms chiquito and pequeñito.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use pequeña for feminine singular nouns, pequeños for masculine plural nouns and pequeñas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/peˈkeɲo/
Did you know?
- The word pequeño likely shares an ancient root with the Welsh word bach and the Irish word beag, both of which mean 'small'.
- The Spanish language allows for double diminutives, such as chiquitito, to describe something so small it is almost cute or precious.
- While pequeño is the standard word for small, it can be used as a noun el pequeño to refer to the youngest child in a family, regardless of their actual height.
Examples in context
- Estos son los cuadros que pinté. El cuadro chico es mi favorito.These are the paintings I made. The small painting is my favorite.
- Por favor, permítanme pasar al frente debido al reducido tamaño de mi maleta.Please allow me to go ahead due to the small size of my suitcase.
- ¿Dónde está mi perro? Oh, ahí viene. ¡Hola, peque!Where is my dog? Oh, there he comes. Hi, little one!
- No teníamos suficiente espacio para la cuna en la habitación, así que compramos una cuna minúscula.We didn't have enough space for the crib in the room, so we bought a tiny crib.
- Encontré un departamento chico pero muy acogedor en el centro de la ciudad.I found a small but cozy apartment in the city center.
- Mis abuelos tienen un jardín chiquito pero hermoso en su casa.My grandparents have a small but beautiful garden at their home.
- El gato es muy pequeño.The cat is very small.
- Necesito un pequeño favor.I need a small favor.
- Tengo un pequeño problema.I have a small problem.
Example conversation
Daniel is trying to fit a box into a suitcase.
- Sofía¿Es muy grande el paquete?Is the package very big?
- DanielNo, es un paquete pequeño.No, it is a small package.
- SofíaEntonces cabe en la maleta.Then it fits in the suitcase.
- DanielSí, cabe perfectamente.Yes, it fits perfectly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pequeño, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pequeño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
