bebé
/beˈbe/masculine
The Spanish word for baby is bebé. Wiktionary also lists nene and bebe.
Meaning: very young human being (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bebé | /beˈbe/ | masculine |
| nene | /ˈnene/ | masculine |
| bebe | /ˈbebe/ | Argentina, masculine |
| guagua | /ˈɡwaɡwa/ | Bolivia, Chile, feminine, masculine |
| bebo | /ˈbebo/ | masculine |
All these forms are used to refer to a very young human being.
Which one should you use?
The word bebé (baby) has an accent on the final syllable, whereas bebe (he/she drinks) does not.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nene is a colloquial way to refer to a baby or a small child, and chiquito or chiquita are colloquial words used in an endearing manner to mean little one or tiny.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bolivia and Chile, the word guagua is used to mean baby.
How does it change in a sentence?
bebé is a masculine noun. The word guagua can be used as either a masculine or feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/beˈbe/
Did you know?
- While bebé refers to a human infant, in many parts of the Caribbean and the Canary Islands, the word guagua actually refers to a bus.
- The Spanish word bebé was borrowed from the French word bébé.
Examples in context
- Ese bebé es Tom.That baby is Tom.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific baby using bebé.Tatoeba #1258396 by marcelostockle, translation #465073 by CK
- El bebé me sonrió.The baby smiled at me.This sentence is useful for describing an action of the bebé.Tatoeba #1242568 by Shishir, translation #272361 by CK
- El bebé se durmió.The baby fell asleep.This sentence is useful for describing the bebé falling asleep.Tatoeba #1569325 by hayastan, translation #45853 by CK
- ¡Qué lindo bebé tienes!What a beautiful baby you have!
- Mi beba es tan lindaMy baby is so cute.
- ¡Ven aquí, chiquito!Come here, baby!
- 320 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are visiting a friend's house.
- María¿Es este el bebé de tu hermana?Is this your sister's baby?
- AlejandroSí, el bebé es muy tranquilo.Yes, the baby is very calm.
- MaríaEs un bebé muy lindo, Alejandro.He is a very cute baby, Alejandro.
- AlejandroGracias, María, es muy especial.Thank you, María, he is very special.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baby” translations and entries bebé, nene, bebe, guagua, bebo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bebe, bebé, guagua, nene, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
