pobrecito
/pobɾeˈθito/
The Spanish phrase for "poor little boy" is pobrecito.
This phrase is used to express pity or sympathy for a young boy who is suffering or in an unfortunate situation. It can also be used as an interjection on its own, such as in ¡Pobrecito!, to express sympathy for anyone in a pitiable situation, regardless of their gender.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to a girl, change the masculine ending to the feminine pobrecita. For a group of boys or a mixed group, use the plural form pobrecitos.
How do you pronounce it?
/pobɾeˈθito/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if you use pobrecito with a sarcastic tone, it transforms from a sympathetic expression into a sharp tool for mockery or condescension.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the diminutive suffix -cito doesn't just mean 'small', but can be used to soften the blow of a sad situation or to express a deep, tender affection.
- The word pobre shares a direct ancestor with the English 'poor', both descending from the Latin 'pauper', which originally referred to someone who lacked anything.
Examples in context
- ¡Pobrecito!Poor little boy!This sentence is useful for learning how to use pobrecito as an exclamation.Tatoeba #3030055 by biibi, translation #4705274 by thowas
- La pobreza afecta a este pobre niño de muchas maneras.Poverty affects this poor little boy in many ways.
- Es desgarrador ver a este desafortunado niño vivir en condiciones tan difíciles.It's heartbreaking to see this unfortunate little boy live in such difficult conditions.
- Ese pobrecito no tiene juguetes.That poor little boy has no toys.
- ¡Ay, pobrecito, se cayó en el parque!Oh, poor little boy, he fell in the park!
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo see a young boy who dropped his ice cream.
- Elena¡Ay, el pobrecito! Se le cayó su helado.Oh, the poor little boy! He dropped his ice cream.
- MateoEs verdad, se ve muy triste.It's true, he looks very sad.
- ElenaLe voy a comprar otro.I am going to buy him another one.
- MateoQué amable eres, Elena.You are so kind, Elena.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pobrecito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pobrecito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
