How to Say "son" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “son” is “hijo” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Mi hijo mayor se llama Carlos.
My oldest son is named Carlos.
Tengo dos hijos y una hija.
I have two sons and one daughter.
El hijo de mi vecina es muy educado.
My neighbor's son is very polite.
Male and Female Forms
Like many Spanish nouns for people, 'hijo' is for a boy. To talk about a girl, you change the ending to '-a' to get 'hija'.
The 'Default' Plural
The plural form 'hijos' can mean 'sons', but it's also used for a mixed group of 'sons and daughters' or 'children' in general. Spanish often uses the male plural form as the default for a mixed group.
Plural for Mixed Groups
Mistake: “If you have one son and one daughter, you might say: 'Tengo dos hijas.'”
Correction: Use the masculine plural 'hijos' for a mixed group. The correct way is: 'Tengo dos hijos.'
Other Meanings of “hijo”
“hijo” can also mean:
- as an affectionate term of address(B1, informal)
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