niños

NEEN-yohsˈniɲos

“niños” means “children” in Spanish (Used for a mixed group of boys and girls).

children

Also: boys, kids

NounmA1

A diverse group of young children, including both boys and girls, laughing and playing together outdoors in a sunny park setting.

📝 In Action

Los niños están jugando en el parque.

The children are playing in the park.

En mi clase hay diez niñas y ocho niños.

In my class, there are ten girls and eight boys.

Este es un menú especial para niños.

This is a special menu for children.

Word Connections

Synonyms

chicos (kids, guys)
críos (kids, little ones (more colloquial))

Antonyms

adultos (adults)

Common Collocations

ropa de niños – children's clothing
cuentos para niños – children's stories
parque de niños – playground (literally 'children's park')

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: niños

Question 1 of 1

You walk into a classroom with 15 girls and 1 boy. How does the teacher greet them?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

niño(boy, child) — Noun

niña(girl) — Noun

niñez(childhood) — Noun

niñera(babysitter, nanny) — Noun

aniñado(childish) — Adjective

🎵 Rhymes▼

cariñosguiños

📚 Etymology▼

Comes from an old Spanish word 'ninno', whose exact origin is debated but is related to the idea of 'little one'. It is not directly from Latin like many other Spanish words.

First recorded: Around the 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: meninoGalician: neno

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Frequently Asked Questions

If 'niños' can mean 'boys' or 'children', how do I know which one is meant?

It almost always comes down to context! If someone points to a group of only boys, 'los niños' means 'the boys'. If a teacher is talking to a mixed class, 'niños' means 'children'. If you're ever unsure, the situation usually makes it clear.

Is there a gender-neutral way to say 'children'?

Traditionally, 'niños' is the standard way to refer to a mixed group of children and is considered inclusive in a grammatical sense. In modern Spanish, you might hear people try other options like 'niños y niñas' (boys and girls) to be more explicit, but 'niños' remains the most common and grammatically correct way.