junior
/HOO-nee-or/
Junior
The term 'junior' is often used to distinguish a younger person from an older relative with the same name.
junior(adjective, noun)
Junior
?used after a person's name to distinguish them from an older person with the same name
the younger
?formal alternative
📝 In Action
El director, Pedro Gómez junior, es hijo de Pedro Gómez sénior.
B1The director, Pedro Gómez Junior, is the son of Pedro Gómez Senior.
Normalmente se escribe 'Jr.' en documentos oficiales.
B1It is usually written 'Jr.' in official documents.
💡 Grammar Points
Always after the name
This word almost always follows the person's full name to clarify which generation you are talking about.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't use it for age only
Mistake: "Using 'junior' just to mean 'young person' in general. For that, use 'joven'."
Correction: Use 'junior' only when distinguishing two people with the same name. Otherwise, say 'un joven'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Pronunciation Tip
Even though it comes from English, in Spanish, the 'j' sound is usually pronounced like an English 'h' (HOO-nee-or), though some speakers use the English pronunciation.
In sports, 'junior' refers to competitions or divisions for younger athletes.
junior(adjective)
junior
?related to a younger age group or lower level in sports
youth
?describing a competition or team
📝 In Action
Mi hermano juega en el equipo de baloncesto junior.
A2My brother plays on the junior basketball team.
Ella ganó el campeonato mundial junior de natación.
B1She won the junior world swimming championship.
💡 Grammar Points
Always follows the noun
As an adjective describing the type or category, 'junior' always comes after the noun it describes (e.g., 'el equipo junior').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender confusion
Mistake: "Trying to make 'junior' change its ending to match the noun's gender (e.g., *juniora*)."
Correction: This word is invariable (it always stays the same). It is 'la categoría junior' and 'el equipo junior'.
In professional settings, 'junior' describes an entry-level or less experienced role.
junior(adjective, noun)
junior
?describing a less experienced or entry-level employee/role
trainee
?person receiving training
,entry-level
?describing a position
📝 In Action
Necesitan un desarrollador junior para el nuevo proyecto.
B2They need a junior developer for the new project.
Empezó como analista junior y ascendió rápidamente.
C1He started as a junior analyst and was promoted quickly.
💡 Grammar Points
Common in Job Titles
This term is often used as part of a job title, like 'ingeniero junior' (junior engineer), to indicate a level of experience rather than age.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal alternatives
In very formal business contexts, you might hear 'nivel inicial' (initial level) or 'personal en formación' (personnel in training) instead of 'junior'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: junior
Question 1 of 2
¿En qué contexto usarías 'junior' para hablar de un puesto de trabajo?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿La palabra 'junior' cambia para el plural o el femenino?
No. 'Junior' es una palabra invariable. No cambia su forma para el femenino (es 'la categoría junior', no *juniora*) ni para el plural (es 'los equipos junior', no *juniores*). Esto es común con palabras prestadas del inglés.
¿Es mejor usar 'junior' o 'juvenil' para hablar de deportes?
Ambos son correctos y se usan mucho. 'Juvenil' es la palabra española tradicional para referirse a la categoría de jóvenes, mientras que 'junior' es un préstamo directo del inglés, pero es perfectamente aceptado en la mayoría de países de habla hispana.