crío

KREE-oh

nounmA2

kid?general informal reference to a child,child?young person

Also:brat?when used to describe a misbehaving child,baby?infant or very young child

📝 In Action

Ese crío siempre está corriendo por la calle.

That kid is always running through the street.

Tengo dos críos que no paran quietos.

I have two kids who never sit still.

¡Qué crío más guapo!

What a handsome little boy!

Word Connections

Synonyms

niño (child)
chaval (kid/lad)
nene (baby/little boy)

Antonyms

adulto (adult)
anciano (elderly person)

Common Collocations

un mal crío – a naughty/spoiled kid
desde crío – since I was a kid

💡 Grammar Points

Gender and Endings

While 'crío' is masculine, you can change it to 'cría' to talk about a young girl or a young animal.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Informality

Mistake: "Using 'crío' in a very formal business meeting."

Correction: Use 'niño' or 'hijo' (if speaking of your own) in formal settings, as 'crío' is very casual.

⭐ Usage Tips

Is it rude?

In Spain, 'crío' is a friendly, common way to say 'kid.' In other places, it can sometimes sound like you're calling the child a 'brat,' so pay attention to the tone of voice!

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: crío

Question 1 of 2

If you say 'Yo crío ovejas', what are you doing?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

criar(to raise) - verb

criatura(creature/little child) - noun

crianza(upbringing) - noun

criado(servant / raised) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'crío' and 'niño'?

'Niño' is the standard, neutral word for child. 'Crío' is more informal and common in Spain, similar to saying 'kid' in English.

Does 'crío' always have an accent mark?

Yes, when it means 'child' (noun) or 'I raise' (present tense verb), it always has an accent on the 'i' to show where the stress goes.