Inklingo

How to Say "youthful" in Spanish

English → Spanish

joven

/kho-ben//ˈxoβen/

adjectiveA1general
Use 'joven' when referring to someone who is young in age, or to describe a spirit that is lively and energetic, often in comparison to someone older.
A toddler happily playing with a bright red ball in a sunny meadow, illustrating the concept of being young.

Examples

Mi hermano es más joven que yo.

My brother is younger than me.

Es una mujer muy joven de espíritu.

She is a very young-at-heart woman.

La población de esta ciudad es bastante joven.

The population of this city is quite young.

One Form for Masculine & Feminine

'Joven' is special because it looks the same whether you're talking about a guy ('un hombre joven') or a girl ('una mujer joven'). You just change the word before it.

Making it Plural

To talk about more than one young thing, you add '-es' to the end, making it 'jóvenes'. For example, 'los chicos jóvenes' (the young boys).

Forgetting the Plural '-es'

Mistake: “Los estudiante joven son inteligentes.”

Correction: Los estudiantes jóvenes son inteligentes. Because 'estudiantes' is plural, 'joven' needs to become plural too by adding '-es'.

juvenil

/hoo-beh-NEEL//xuβeˈnil/

adjectiveA2general
Choose 'juvenil' to describe a look, style, or spirit that is characteristic of young people, or that retains a youthful quality despite age.
A smiling young person with bright eyes and a vibrant outfit jumping joyfully in a park.

Examples

Mi abuelo tiene un espíritu muy juvenil.

My grandfather has a very youthful spirit.

Ella prefiere la moda juvenil.

She prefers youthful/junior fashion.

One Form for All

This word doesn't change to match boys or girls! Whether the person you're describing is male or female, 'juvenil' stays exactly the same.

Avoid 'Juvenila'

Mistake: “una chica juvenila”

Correction: una chica juvenil

jovencita

/ho-ven-SEE-ta//xoβenˈsi.ta/

adjectiveB1informal
Use 'jovencita' specifically to describe a person, usually female, who has a notably youthful appearance, often implying a fresh or innocent look.
A high quality simple colorful storybook illustration of a small, cheerful girl with pigtails holding a large red balloon while standing in a green field.

Examples

Ella tiene una cara jovencita y alegre.

She has a youthful and cheerful face.

Esta es mi prima jovencita.

This is my young cousin (female).

Agreement is Key

Like all Spanish adjectives, 'jovencita' must match the noun it describes in number and gender. Since it ends in '-a' it only describes feminine nouns.

Joven vs. Juvenil

The most common confusion is between 'joven' and 'juvenil'. Remember that 'joven' primarily refers to age or a generally energetic spirit, while 'juvenil' describes a style or demeanor *like* that of a young person, often applicable even to older individuals.

Related Translations

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