cuando era niño
/kwando eɾa niɲo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'when I was a kid' is translated into Spanish as cuando era niño.
This phrase is used to refer to the period of time in a person's life before they became an adult.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cuando (when), era (I was/used to be) and niño (boy/child).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the imperfect past tense era because it describes an ongoing state or background condition in the past, rather than a single point in time. If the speaker is female, the noun must change from niño to niña to form cuando era niña.
Did you know?
- In certain Spanish-speaking cultures, someone might call a romantic partner niño or niña as a term of endearment, even if the partner is an adult.
- The word niño shares an evolutionary path with the English word 'nun', as both likely originated from the imitative sounds of infantile speech.
- In Spain, calling an adult a niño can be an insult implying they are spoiled or immature.
Examples in context
- Vivía en Boston cuando era niño.I lived in Boston when I was a kid.This sentence is useful for stating where you lived using cuando era niño.Tatoeba #2486145 by Shishir, translation #2448113 by CK
- Me quebré la pierna cuando era niño.I broke my leg when I was a kid.This sentence is useful for describing a past injury using cuando era niño.Tatoeba #2940086 by hayastan, translation #10459571 by DJ_Saidez
- Ésta es una canción que aprendí cuando era niño.This is a song I learned when I was a kid.This sentence is useful for mentioning something learned in the past using cuando era niño.Tatoeba #6820862 by arh, translation #6820556 by CK
- Cuando era niño, solía pasar mucho tiempo jugando en el parque cerca de mi casa.When I was a kid, I used to spend a lot of time playing at the park near my house.
- Cuando era chico, me encantaba pasar horas explorando el bosque con mis amigos.When I was a kid, I loved spending hours exploring the forest with my friends.
- Cuando era pequeña, mi abuela solía contarme cuentos antes de dormir.When I was a kid, my grandmother used to tell me bedtime stories.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are talking about their childhood hobbies.
- MaríaCuando era niña, me gustaba mucho nadar.When I was a girl, I really liked swimming.
- AlejandroYo también quería ser nadador cuando era niño.I also wanted to be a swimmer when I was a kid.
- María¿De verdad, Alejandro?Really, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSí, me encantaba el agua.Yes, I loved the water.
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.
