meñique
/meˈɲike/
The Spanish word for pinky finger is meñique.
The phrase refers to the smallest finger on the human hand.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and parts of Latin America, you may hear the phrase dedo chiquito to mean little finger.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun, so it is preceded by the masculine article el (el meñique).
How do you pronounce it?
/meˈɲike/
Did you know?
- While English speakers call it a 'pinky' based on the word 'pink', the Spanish meñique is related to the concept of being 'minimal' or 'tiny' across several Romance languages.
- In some old Spanish nursery rhymes, the meñique is personified as a character that lives in the hand, often participating in finger-play games to teach children about their anatomy.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a promise made while interlocking meñiques is called a promesa de meñique, similar to the English 'pinky swear'.
Examples in context
- ¡Ay! Me golpeé el chiquito al cerrar la puerta.Ouch! I hit my pinky finger closing the door.
- Levántame el meñique.Lift your pinky finger.
- Me duele el meñique de la mano derecha.My pinky finger on my right hand hurts.
- El meñique es el dedo más pequeño.The pinky is the smallest finger.
- Me corté el meñique con el papel.I cut my pinky finger with the paper.
Example conversation
Alejandro is helping Elena look at a small cut on her hand.
- Elena¿Ves este corte en mi meñique?Do you see this cut on my pinky?
- AlejandroSí, Elena, parece que es muy pequeño.Yes, Elena, it looks very small.
- ElenaNo me duele tanto, pero es molesto.It doesn't hurt that much, but it is annoying.
- AlejandroTe pondré una tirita en el dedo.I will put a band-aid on your finger.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry meñique, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
