chico

/CHEE-ko/

boy

A cheerful young boy with dark hair laughing while kicking a soccer ball in a sunny park.

The word "chico" as a noun means a young boy or kid.

chico(Noun)

mA1

boy?A young male person.

Also:kid?Informal term for a child or teenager.,guy?Informal way to refer to a young man.

📝 In Action

El chico juega con su perro en el jardín.

The boy is playing with his dog in the garden.

Hay un chico nuevo en mi clase de español.

There's a new guy in my Spanish class.

¡Chicos, la cena está lista!

Kids, dinner is ready!

Word Connections

Synonyms

niño (child, boy)
muchacho (boy, young man)
joven (youth, young person)

Antonyms

chica (girl)
hombre (man)
adulto (adult)

Common Collocations

un buen chico – a good boy
un chico listo – a smart boy

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine and Feminine Forms

Use chico when talking about a boy. If you're talking about a girl, you just swap the 'o' for an 'a': chica. For a group of boys or a mixed group of boys and girls, use the plural chicos.

❌ Common Pitfalls

`Chico` vs. `Niño`

Mistake: "Using `chico` and `niño` as if they are exactly the same."

Correction: `Niño` usually refers to a younger child (around 2-10 years old). `Chico` is more general and can be used for a young child, a teenager, or even a young man in his 20s. When in doubt, `chico` is often a safe bet.

⭐ Usage Tips

Friendly Address

In Spain and some other regions, it's very common and friendly to get someone's attention by saying '¡Oye, chico!' (Hey, guy!) or '¡Oye, chica!' (Hey, girl!), even with people you don't know.

A tiny, miniature red apple resting on a large wooden table, emphasizing its small size.

As an adjective, "chico" means small, describing the size of an object.

chico(Adjective)

mA2

small?Not large in size.

Also:little?Similar to small.,short?Referring to duration or length, less common.

📝 In Action

Mi coche es muy chico, es fácil de aparcar.

My car is very small, it's easy to park.

Compré una camisa chica porque la grande no me quedaba.

I bought a small shirt because the large one didn't fit me.

Estos problemas son chicos comparados con los de antes.

These problems are small compared to the ones before.

Word Connections

Synonyms

pequeño (small, little)

Antonyms

grande (big, large)

Common Collocations

un piso chico – a small apartment
quedarse chico – to become too small / to be insufficient

💡 Grammar Points

Matching the Noun

When you use chico to describe something, its ending must match the noun. un coche chico (a small car), una casa chica (a small house), unos zapatos chicos (small shoes), unas mesas chicas (small tables).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting to Change the Ending

Mistake: "El vestido es chico y las faldas es chico también."

Correction: Say 'El vestido es chico y las faldas son chicas también.' The describing word (`chico/chica`) must match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the thing it describes.

⭐ Usage Tips

`Chico` vs. `Pequeño`

Both mean 'small' and are often interchangeable. Pequeño can sometimes sound a little more standard or formal. Chico is very common in everyday conversation.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: chico

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'chico' as an adjective (describing size)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

chica(girl) - noun

chiquito(tiny, very small) - adjective

chiquillo(little boy, kid) - noun

achicar(to make smaller, to shrink) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'chico' and 'muchacho'?

They are very similar! 'Chico' is probably more common overall, especially in Spain. 'Muchacho' is also very common, particularly in Latin America. Both refer to a boy or young man. Think of them like 'boy' vs. 'lad' in English—slightly different flavors but often interchangeable.

Can I use 'chico' to mean 'boyfriend'?

Yes, in some places, especially Spain, it's common and informal to say 'mi chico' to mean 'my boyfriend', just like you'd say 'mi chica' for 'my girlfriend'.