Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| juventud | /xubenˈtud/ | feminine |
| años mozos | /aɲos moθos/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aɲos mosos/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
colloquial |
| mocedad | /moθeˈdad/ /moseˈdad/ |
feminine |
The term refers to the period of life following childhood. While juventud describes the abstract concept or stage of life, you may also encounter terms for the people themselves, such as Jóvenes for young people or various regional slang terms.
Which one should you use?
juventud and mocedad are both feminine nouns used to describe the state of being young. años mozos is a colloquial expression specifically used to refer to one's younger years.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
juventud is the standard term. In formal settings, the term Jóvenes can be used to refer to the collective concept of youth. For a more casual tone, you can use años mozos to talk about one's younger years. The term Chavos/as is a colloquial way to refer to young people in certain Latin American countries.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the slang of Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Chile, the terms Pibes or Pibas are used to refer to young people.
How does it change in a sentence?
juventud is a feminine noun and is typically used with the definite article la when referring to the concept of youth in general.
How do you pronounce it?
/xubenˈtud/
Did you know?
- The word mozo, which forms the basis of mocedad, is used in Spain to call a waiter in a café or restaurant.
- The word juventud shares a common ancestor with the English word 'juvenile', both stemming from the Latin 'iuvenis'.
- Calling a group of people la juventud can sometimes sound like you are addressing a specific political or social demographic rather than just 'young people'.
Examples in context
- La juventud es breve.Youth is short.This sentence is useful for illustrating the brevity of youth using juventud.Tatoeba #13588352 by Seael, translation #12313927 by Covered
- Fumaba en mi juventud.I smoked in my youth.This sentence shows how to refer to a past period of life using juventud.Tatoeba #3252815 by marcelostockle, translation #2816317 by rul
- Lloro por mi juventud perdida.I weep for my lost youth.This sentence expresses regret regarding lost years using juventud.Tatoeba #524315 by Shishir, translation #31344 by Shishir
- La juventud es el futuro de nuestra nación.Youth is the future of our nation.
- Invitamos a todos los jóvenes a participar en este evento.We invite all young people to participate in this event.
- Este es un lugar seguro para los jovencitos.This is a safe place for young people.
- La película tiene un enfoque muy juvenil.The movie has a very youthful approach.
- ¿Dónde están los chavos que iban a venir con nosotros?Where are the guys/girls who were supposed to come with us?
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at old photographs together.
- SofíaMira esta foto de mi juventud.Look at this photo from my youth.
- AlejandroTe veías muy feliz en esa época.You looked very happy in that era.
- SofíaSí, la juventud es una etapa maravillosa.Yes, youth is a wonderful stage.
- AlejandroTienes razón, Alejandro también lo dice.You are right, Alejandro says so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “youth” translations and entries juventud, mocedad, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries juventud, mocedad, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
