Inklingo
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hija

/ee-khah/

daughter

A mother and her young daughter holding hands and smiling while walking together on a path in a park.

The primary meaning of hija is 'daughter,' referring to a person's female child.

hija(Noun)

fA1

daughter

?

A person's female child.

📝 In Action

Mi hija mayor se llama Sofía.

A1

My oldest daughter is named Sofia.

Tengo dos hijos y una hija.

A1

I have two sons and one daughter.

La hija de mi vecina es muy inteligente.

A2

My neighbor's daughter is very smart.

Word Connections

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • hija única – only daughter
  • hija adoptiva – adopted daughter
  • hija política – daughter-in-law

Idioms & Expressions

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine and Feminine Nouns

In Spanish, words for people often have a masculine and a feminine form. 'Hija' is the feminine word for 'daughter.' The masculine version is 'hijo' for 'son'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Talking About a Group of Children

Mistake: "Tengo una hija y un hijo, son mis hijas."

Correction: Tengo una hija y un hijo, son mis hijos. When you have a group of sons and daughters, you use the masculine plural form 'hijos' to refer to them all together.

⭐ Usage Tips

Family First

When introducing your family, 'hija' is the standard and essential word to use. It's clear, direct, and used everywhere.

An older woman tenderly smiling at a younger woman, placing her hand gently on the younger woman's shoulder to show affection.

Hija can also be used informally as a term of endearment, similar to 'dear' or 'honey,' often used by an older person addressing a younger one.

hija(Noun)

fB1

dear

?

As an affectionate term of address.

Also:

honey

?

Affectionate term

,

girl

?

Informal, sometimes like 'my girl'

📝 In Action

Ven aquí, hija, que te ayudo con eso.

B1

Come here, dear, let me help you with that.

¡Pero hija, cómo se te ocurre hacer eso!

B1

Oh honey, how could you even think of doing that!

Ella es hija de su tiempo, con ideas muy modernas.

B2

She is a daughter of her time, with very modern ideas.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mija (my dear / my daughter (contraction))
  • niña (girl)

💡 Grammar Points

The Contraction 'Mija'

You'll often hear 'mija', which is just 'mi' (my) + 'hija' (daughter) squished together. It's a very common and warm way to address a daughter or a younger woman you feel close to.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Not Always Literal

Mistake: "Thinking an older stranger calling you 'hija' is your actual mother."

Correction: When an older person calls you 'hija', it's usually a friendly, motherly gesture, like saying 'dear' or 'sweetie' in English. They're not claiming to be your parent!

⭐ Usage Tips

Showing Affection

Using 'hija' or 'mija' with a younger woman you know well can sound very natural and caring. It's often used by parents, grandparents, or even older friends to show warmth.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hija

Question 1 of 2

An older woman you don't know says to you, '¿Necesitas ayuda, hija?' What does she most likely mean?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

hijo(son) - noun
hijastro(stepson) - noun
hijastra(stepdaughter) - noun
ahijada(goddaughter) - noun
ahijado(godson) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'hija' and 'mija'?

'Hija' simply means 'daughter'. 'Mija' is a loving contraction of 'mi hija' (my daughter). People use 'mija' as a term of endearment for their own daughter, but also for other young women they feel affection for, much like saying 'honey' or 'sweetie'.

How do you make 'hija' plural?

To make 'hija' plural, you just add an -s at the end: 'hijas'. This means 'daughters'. For example, 'Tengo dos hijas' means 'I have two daughters'.