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niño

/NEEN-yo/

boy

A happy young boy, around eight years old, playing with a colorful ball in a sunny green meadow.

The Spanish word niño refers to a boy or male child.

niño(Noun)

mA1

boy

?

a male child

Also:

child

?

when referring specifically to a male child

📝 In Action

El niño juega en el parque.

A1

The boy plays in the park.

Mi hijo es un niño muy inteligente.

A2

My son is a very smart boy.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • chico (boy, kid)
  • muchacho (boy)
  • crío (kid (informal))

Antonyms

  • niña (girl)
  • adulto (adult)
  • anciano (elderly man)

Common Collocations

  • un niño pequeño – a little boy
  • ropa de niño – boy's clothes
  • ser un niño bueno – to be a good boy

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser un niño de papá – to be a spoiled brat

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Nouns Ending in -o

'Niño' is a masculine word, which you can often guess because it ends in '-o'. This means you'll use 'el' for 'the' (el niño) and 'un' for 'a' (un niño).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing up with 'niña'

Mistake: "Using 'niño' to talk about a girl."

Correction: Remember the '-o' for a bOy and the '-a' for a girl (niña). This pattern is very common in Spanish for people and animals.

⭐ Usage Tips

Age Range

'Niño' usually refers to a child from infancy up to about age 12 or puberty. For teenagers, you're more likely to hear 'chico' or 'adolescente'.

A diverse group of four children, two boys and two girls, holding hands and running through a field.

In its plural form, niños is the standard word used to refer to a group of children, even if the group includes both boys and girls.

niño(Noun (Plural))

mA1

children

?

a mixed group of boys and girls

Also:

boys

?

a group of only boys

📝 In Action

Los niños están en la escuela.

A1

The children are at school.

Tengo dos hijos, un niño y una niña. Mis niños se llevan muy bien.

A2

I have two kids, a boy and a girl. My children get along very well.

Solo los niños pueden entrar gratis.

B1

Only children can enter for free.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • adultos (adults)

Common Collocations

  • cuidar a los niños – to babysit / to look after the children
  • parque para niños – children's park / playground

Idioms & Expressions

  • los niños y los borrachos siempre dicen la verdad – a phrase meaning that people are most honest when they are unfiltered, like children or drunk people.

💡 Grammar Points

The 'Masculine Plural' Rule

This is a super important rule in Spanish! If you have a group of people that includes even one male, you use the masculine plural form. So 'niños' can mean 'a group of boys' OR 'a group of boys and girls'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Assuming 'niños' means only boys

Mistake: "Hearing 'los niños' and thinking there are no girls in the group."

Correction: Always remember 'los niños' is the standard word for 'children' in general. If you want to talk about a group of ONLY girls, you must say 'las niñas'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Key

Listen to the situation to know if 'niños' means 'boys' or 'children'. If someone says 'Tengo tres niños', they might have three sons, or a mix of sons and daughters. You might need to ask for more detail!

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: niño

Question 1 of 3

If a teacher says, '¡Hola, niños!', who is she talking to?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

niña(girl) - noun
niñez(childhood) - noun
niñera(babysitter, nanny) - noun
aniñado(childish) - adjective
niñería(childishness, trifle) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'niño', 'chico', and 'muchacho'?

'Niño' specifically means a young child, usually under 12. 'Chico' is more general and can mean 'kid', 'boy', or even 'guy' depending on the context and region. 'Muchacho' usually refers to a teenager or young man. 'Niño' is the most specific for 'child'.

How do I say 'children' if the group is all girls?

If the group consists only of girls, you must use the feminine plural: 'las niñas'. You only use 'los niños' for a group of all boys or a mixed group of boys and girls.

Is 'El Niño' the weather phenomenon related to this word?

Yes, it is! The weather pattern was named 'El Niño' (The Child, referring to the Christ child) by fishermen in South America because it often peaked around Christmastime.