pequeña
“pequeña” means “small” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
small
Also: little
📝 In Action
La casa es muy pequeña.
A1The house is very small.
Necesito una caja más pequeña para guardar esto.
A1I need a smaller box to store this.
Es una ciudad pequeña pero con mucho encanto.
A2It's a small city but with a lot of charm.
young
Also: little
📝 In Action
Mi hermana pequeña tiene seis años.
A2My little (younger) sister is six years old.
Cuando era pequeña, me encantaba jugar afuera.
B1When I was little, I loved to play outside.
La hija más pequeña de la familia ya va a la universidad.
B1The youngest daughter of the family is already going to university.
minor
Also: slight, modest
📝 In Action
Es solo una pequeña duda, pero quiero estar segura.
B1It's just a small doubt, but I want to be sure.
Hay una pequeña diferencia entre las dos opciones.
B1There is a slight difference between the two options.
Hizo una pequeña fortuna vendiendo sus creaciones.
B2She made a small fortune selling her creations.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pequeña
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'pequeña'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the informal Latin word *pittinnus*, which probably had Celtic roots and meant something like 'a small piece' or 'a bit'. It has been a core part of Spanish for a very long time, evolving into the friendly word we use today.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'pequeña' and 'chica'?
They are very similar and often you can use either one! Both mean 'small'. 'Pequeña' is universally understood and very common. 'Chica' is also extremely common, especially in Latin America. For describing a small car, you could say 'un coche pequeño' or 'un coche chico' and be perfectly understood.
How do I make 'pequeña' plural?
To talk about more than one feminine thing, you just add an 's' to the end: 'pequeñas'. For example, 'Las casas son pequeñas' (The houses are small).