cuando era niño
/kwando eɾa niɲo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "when I was a child" is translated into Spanish as cuando era niño.
A phrase used to refer to a time in the past when the speaker was young.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cuando (when), era (I was/he/she was) and niño (child/boy).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you may hear Cuando era chamaco/chamaca to mean "When I was a child". In Argentina, they might say Cuando era pibe/piba to mean "When I was a child".
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the noun niño must change to the feminine form niña.
Did you know?
- The word niño may have originated from an imitation of the sounds babies make, much like the English words 'nanny' or 'nana'.
- In some contexts, niño can be used as a term of endearment for a romantic partner or an adult son, regardless of their actual age.
- While niño refers to a child, the word chamaco used in Mexico has roots in the indigenous languages of the Caribbean and Central America.
Examples in context
- Me quebré el brazo cuando era niño.I broke my arm when I was a child.This sentence shows how to use cuando era niño to describe a past physical injury.Tatoeba #2940087 by hayastan, translation #2940555 by astyng
- Yo tenía un cachorro cuando era niño.I had a puppy when I was a child.This sentence uses cuando era niño to describe childhood pet ownership.Tatoeba #2232598 by marcelostockle, translation #9015744 by jaydenms
- Cuando era niño no podía comer pescado.I couldn't eat fish when I was a child.This sentence demonstrates using cuando era niño to discuss childhood dietary restrictions.Tatoeba #587264 by Shishir, translation #257957 by CK
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are reminiscing about their past while drinking coffee.
- MateoCuando era niño, siempre quería un perro.When I was a child, I always wanted a dog.
- Lucía¡Qué tierno! Yo también quería uno.How cute! I wanted one too.
- Mateo¿De verdad? Lucía, ¿tenías mascotas?Really? Lucía, did you have pets?
- LucíaNo, pero me encantaban los animales.No, but I loved animals.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuando, era, niño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
