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hijos

/ee-khos/

children

A colorful illustration of a smiling adult holding the hands of two small, happy children, one boy and one girl, symbolizing the general meaning of children.

Hijos most commonly means 'children,' referring to both sons and daughters collectively.

hijos(Noun)

mA1

children

?

Used for a group of sons and daughters together

Also:

sons

?

Used for a group of only male children

,

offspring

?

A more general term for one's descendants

📝 In Action

¿Cuántos hijos tienes?

A1

How many children do you have?

Tengo dos hijos: un niño y una niña.

A1

I have two children: a boy and a girl.

Todos mis hijos viven en Madrid.

A2

All my children live in Madrid.

Sus hijos son gemelos.

B1

His sons are twins.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • descendientes (descendants)
  • críos (kids (informal))

Antonyms

  • padres (parents)
  • abuelos (grandparents)

Common Collocations

  • criar hijos – to raise children
  • hijos adoptivos – adopted children
  • hijos mayores de edad – adult children

💡 Grammar Points

The All-Inclusive Plural

In Spanish, if you have a group of people that includes even one male, you use the masculine plural form. So, 'hijos' can mean 'sons', but it most often means 'children' (sons and daughters together).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'hijas' for a mixed group

Mistake: "If you have a son and a daughter, you might say: 'Tengo dos hijas.'"

Correction: Always say 'Tengo dos hijos.' Use 'hijas' only when talking about a group of ALL daughters.

⭐ Usage Tips

The Singular Forms

Remember that 'hijos' is the plural. The singular is 'hijo' for a son, and 'hija' for a daughter.

A stylized illustration showing large, perfect, ripe red apples clustered together, emerging directly from rich, dark earth, symbolizing the products or results of a process.

In a formal context, hijos can be used figuratively to mean 'products' or 'consequences' (e.g., 'products of poor management').

hijos(Noun)

mB2

products

?

The result or consequence of something

Also:

natives

?

People from a particular place, e.g., 'hijos de la ciudad'

,

followers

?

Disciples of a particular person or school of thought

📝 In Action

Estos problemas económicos son hijos de la mala gestión.

B2

These economic problems are the products of poor management.

Somos hijos de nuestro tiempo y de nuestra cultura.

C1

We are products of our time and our culture.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • frutos (fruits (results))
  • resultados (results)
  • consecuencias (consequences)

⭐ Usage Tips

Poetic Cause and Effect

Think of this usage like saying something is 'born from' or 'a child of' something else. It's a more poetic way to talk about where things come from or what causes them.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hijos

Question 1 of 1

Your friend Ana has one son and two daughters. How would she say 'My children are playing in the park'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

hijo(son) - noun
hija(daughter) - noun
ahijado(godson) - noun
hijastro(stepson) - noun
prohijar(to adopt) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Spanish use 'hijos' for a group of boys and girls? Isn't that sexist?

It's a great question! This is a feature of Spanish grammar called the 'masculine default'. For mixed-gender groups, the masculine plural form is used. It's not a comment on importance, but simply the grammatical rule. You see it with other words too, like 'padres' (parents) and 'hermanos' (siblings).

What is the singular of 'hijos'?

The singular form depends on gender. It's 'hijo' for one son and 'hija' for one daughter.

Can I ever just say 'niños' instead of 'hijos'?

Yes, often you can! 'Niños' also means 'children'. 'Hijos' emphasizes the family relationship (your specific children), while 'niños' is more general (any children). But in casual conversation, they are often used interchangeably.