niña pequeña
/niɲa pekeɲa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "small girl" is translated into Spanish as niña pequeña.
The phrase niña pequeña refers to a female child who is young or short in stature. In informal settings, other terms may be used to convey affection or playfulness, such as Nena for a baby girl or little girl, Chiquita to mean little one or little girl and the playful term Pequeñaja.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun niña (girl) and the adjective pequeña (small/little).
Which one should you use?
While niña pequeña can mean a girl of small stature, niña baja specifically refers to a girl who is short in height.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must take the plural suffix '-s', resulting in niñas pequeñas.
How do you pronounce it?
/niɲa pekeɲa/
Did you know?
- The word chiquita is often used as a romantic term of endearment between partners in some Latin American countries, far beyond its literal meaning of 'small girl'.
- While niña pequeña describes a small girl, using the word enana to describe a girl's small stature is considered a highly offensive slur in many Spanish-speaking countries.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the term niña can be used to address a woman of any age if the speaker is treating her with a specific kind of protective or paternal affection.
Examples in context
- ¡Esa niña pequeña es muy inteligente!That small girl is very intelligent!
- Ven aquí, nena. ¡Mira lo que encontré para ti!Come here, little girl. Look what I found for you!
- ¡Hola, chiquita! ¿Quieres jugar conmigo?Hello, little girl! Do you want to play with me?
- ¡Eres una pequeñaja muy graciosa!You're a very funny small girl!
- La niña pequeña juega en el parque.The small girl plays in the park.
- Esa niña pequeña tiene un vestido rosa.That small girl has a pink dress.
- La niña pequeña está jugando en el parque.The small girl is playing in the park.
- Vi a una niña pequeña con un perro.I saw a small girl with a dog.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are watching children play at a park.
- Alejandro¿Ves a esa niña pequeña?Do you see that small girl?
- ElenaSí, es muy linda.Yes, she is very cute.
- AlejandroParece una niña pequeña muy feliz.She looks like a very happy small girl.
- ElenaSí, le encanta correr.Yes, she loves to run.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
