niñito feo
/niɲito feo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'ugly little boy' is translated into Spanish as niñito feo.
This phrase is used to describe a young male child who is not physically attractive.
How do you pronounce it?
/niɲito feo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, calling a baby feo is a superstitious practice intended to ward off the 'evil eye'. By describing the child as 'ugly', parents believe they protect the child from envy or supernatural harm.
- While feo means 'ugly', in some regional slang it can be used to describe a situation that is 'dangerous' or 'risky'. For example, a 'feo' encounter refers to one that could turn violent.
- The word feo is a linguistic traveler that displaced the native Spanish word hedo through an influence from the Asturian word feu.
Examples in context
- Ese niñito feo está llorando.That ugly little boy is crying.
- No seas malo con ese niñito feo.Don't be mean to that ugly little boy.
- El niñito feo se perdió en el parque.The ugly little boy got lost in the park.
Example conversation
Javier and María are watching children playing in a park.
- Javier¿Viste a ese niñito feo de allá?Did you see that ugly little boy over there?
- MaríaSí, parece un poco triste.Yes, he looks a little sad.
- JavierTal vez necesita ayuda.Maybe he needs help.
- MaríaVamos a ver si está bien.Let's go see if he is okay.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries feo, niñito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
