# Girl/boy



## hablo_un_pequeño

Hola,

Is there any difference in meaning/use/context/national-regional usage in the different ways of saying boy and girl?

chica/chico
muchacha/muchacho
niña/niño
some other thing I've never heard, please list...
 
Muchas gracias


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## Sparrow22

hablo_un_pequeño said:
			
		

> Hola,
> 
> Is there any difference in meaning/use/context/national-regional usage in the different ways of saying boy and girl?
> 
> chica/chico
> muchacha/muchacho
> niña/niño
> some other thing I've never heard, please list...
> 
> Muchas gracias


 
Hi !!! at least in Argentina we indistintcly use muchacha/ muchacho for young people, and we mostly use chico/chica and niño/niña for kids, anyway we can also use chico/chica, for teenagers.
"Conoci un chico fabuloso" (I met a wonderful boy)
"Es una chica muy dulce" (she's a very sweet girl)

anyway, you will see other opinions as they differ from country to country.

cheers !!!


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## ElGato

En Puerto Rico se dice también un *nene* o una *nena*.
Los cubanos acá en la "sagüesera" de Miami dicen un *chiquito* o una *chiquita*.
Creo que los españoles dicen *chaval* y no sé si chavala para una niña. Los españoles que corrijan por favor.


Saludos,

EG


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## cachaco

¿Y qué tal los que decimos ese "pelado" (boy) es muy simpático, esa "pelada" (girl) es muy inteligente?

Pero aún dentro de Colombia hay otros términos para tipificarnos cuando estamos en la flor de la juventud. Echaré mano de mis recuerdos cuando "sardino".


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## perrodelmal

hablo_un_pequeño said:
			
		

> Hola,
> 
> Is there any difference in meaning/use/context/national-regional usage in the different ways of saying boy and girl?
> 
> Muchas gracias



Totally, there's a lot of words we all use but among spanish speaking countries meanings/use/context change.

Others:

Chamaco/Chamaca
Morro/Morra
Chiquillo/Chiquilla
Chavo/Chava

For instance, some people here in Mexico use vieja to say girl, as in "Fui al cine con mi vieja" but in Argentina people would understand that you went with your mom, not your girl.


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## balears

Sparrow22 said:
			
		

> Hi !!! at least in Argentina we indistintcly use muchacha/ muchacho for young people, and we mostly use chico/chica and niño/niña for kids, anyway we can also use chico/chica, for teenagers.
> "Conoci un chico fabuloso" (I met a wonderful boy)
> "Es una chica muy dulce" (she's a very sweet girl)
> 
> anyway, you will see other opinions as they differ from country to country.
> 
> cheers !!!


 
In Spain is like in Argentina. Besides, _chaval, chavala_ as both kids and teenagers. In Spain the most used are _niño/niña_ for kids and _chico/chica_ for both kids and teenagers.


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## Jazztronik

*Chaval/chavala* is used a lot in Spain to refer to teenagers or people who is between 18-25 more or less.

We also use:
*-niño/niña *formal way to refer to a child. But sometimes used in an affectionate way between young couples.

-*nene/nena*. Formally it means toddler. But they have the same connotations for couples as above.

-*crío/cría*. Formally, the same as nene/nena. It'a also used in a peyorative way to refer to some immature person.

-*chico/chica*. The same way to say man/woman, but referring to younger people, not mature or older either. Also used between couples affectionately.

-*chiquillo/chiquilla* is a diminutive od chico/chica. Very used between good friends in Spain.

-*tio/tia* formally means uncle/aunt, but in a colloquial way is the most used form to refer to a guy/gal in Spain. In Latin America they use papi/papito to men.

-*tronco/tronca*, same as tio/tia but more vulgar and cocky.

-*nano*. Very used in Valencia (the one in Spain, not Venezuela) and other regions, same as tio. But in some other places of Spain it means dwarf.

-*nen*. Same as above very used mainly in Eastern Spain.

There are more, I'll write them when I can. I must get out.


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## luis masci

cachaco said:
			
		

> ¿Y qué tal los que decimos ese "pelado" (boy) es muy simpático, esa "pelada" (girl) es muy inteligente?


 
Cachaco, ten cuidado si vas al Brasil y usas esa denominación para boy/girl  

En Buenos Aires también les llaman "pibe/piba", pero no tanto en el resto de Argentina. En el norte del país se les llama "chango/changa" o changuito/a si son niños.


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## Orgullomoore

aporto 
guache/guacha (MX)
huerco/huerca (MX)
cipote, cipotillo /cipota, cipotilla (El Salvador)


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## cachaco

luis masci said:
			
		

> Cachaco, ten cuidado si vas al Brasil y usas esa denominación para boy/girl
> 
> Tomaré muy atenta nota si voy al Brasil
> Entonces quedemos en que si voy al cine mejor me llevo mi "sardina" y no la "pelada", ¿está bien?


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## Like an Angel

*mocoso/a* para niños pequeños.-
*pen**jo/a* para niños y adolescentes, si bien lo escribo entrecortado, es de uso común, claro, no para decirselo a la realeza de España, pero no creo que esté visto como mala palabra en Argentina al menos.-
*chiquilín/a* también para niños pequeños.-

EDIT:

*pequeño/a*, principalmente para niños, pero lo he escuchado de una persona mayor para dirigirse hacia otra con afecto.


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## Laia

Jazztronik said:
			
		

> *Chaval/chavala* is used a lot in Spain to refer to teenagers or people who is between 18-25 more or less.
> 
> We also use:
> *-niño/niña *formal way to refer to a child. But sometimes used in an affectionate way between young couples.
> 
> -*nene/nena*. Formally it means toddler. But they have the same connotations for couples as above.
> 
> -*crío/cría*. Formally, the same as nene/nena. It'a also used in a peyorative way to refer to some immature person.
> 
> -*chico/chica*. The same way to say man/woman, but referring to younger people, not mature or older either. Also used between couples affectionately.
> 
> -*chiquillo/chiquilla* is a diminutive od chico/chica. Very used between good friends in Spain.
> 
> -*tio/tia* formally means uncle/aunt, but in a colloquial way is the most used form to refer to a guy/gal in Spain. In Latin America they use papi/papito to men.
> 
> -*tronco/tronca*, same as tio/tia but more vulgar and cocky.
> 
> -*nano*. Very used in Valencia (the one in Spain, not Venezuela) and other regions, same as tio. But in some other places of Spain it means dwarf.
> 
> -*nen*. Same as above very used mainly in Eastern Spain.
> 
> There are more, I'll write them when I can. I must get out.


 
Perfect explanation. I would just add the female version of: 
- nano: *nana*
- nen: *nena*


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## Jazztronik

luis masci said:
			
		

> En Buenos Aires también les llaman "pibe/piba", pero no tanto en el resto de Argentina.


 
*Pibe/piba* are also used in Spain, but they are used mainly by 'cool' people. 

*Chorbo/chorba* are used in Spain to refer to a sexy guy/girl.


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## panatica

Hola.  Aquí le mando uno que no han mencionado.  En Costa Rica, se dice "güila" para boy & girl.


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## Alundra

También es España: 
Mozo/Moza
Zagal/Zagala
Rapaz/Rapaciña 

Alundra.


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## Laia

¿Qué me decís de *Jovencito/jovencita*?


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## balears

Jazztronik said:
			
		

> *Chaval/chavala* is used a lot in Spain to refer to teenagers or people who is between 18-25 more or less.
> 
> We also use:
> *-niño/niña *formal way to refer to a child. But sometimes used in an affectionate way between young couples.
> 
> -*nene/nena*. Formally it means toddler. But they have the same connotations for couples as above.
> 
> -*crío/cría*. Formally, the same as nene/nena. It'a also used in a peyorative way to refer to some immature person.
> 
> -*chico/chica*. The same way to say man/woman, but referring to younger people, not mature or older either. Also used between couples affectionately.
> 
> -*chiquillo/chiquilla* is a diminutive od chico/chica. Very used between good friends in Spain.
> 
> -*tio/tia* formally means uncle/aunt, but in a colloquial way is the most used form to refer to a guy/gal in Spain. In Latin America they use papi/papito to men.
> 
> -*tronco/tronca*, same as tio/tia but more vulgar and cocky.
> 
> -*nano*. Very used in Valencia (the one in Spain, not Venezuela) and other regions, same as tio. But in some other places of Spain it means dwarf.
> 
> -*nen*. Same as above very used mainly in Eastern Spain.
> 
> There are more, I'll write them when I can. I must get out.


 
Muy bien explicado, sí señor. 
Sólo una cosa: _nen_ es una palabra en catalán, no en español.


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## Laia

balears said:
			
		

> Muy bien explicado, sí señor.
> Sólo una cosa: _nen_ es una palabra en catalán, no en español.


 
Bueno... pero con eso del "nen(g) de Castefa"...


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## balears

Laia said:
			
		

> Bueno... pero con eso del "nen(g) de Castefa"...


 
who????


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## Laia

balears said:
			
		

> who????


 
He:

http://images.google.es/images?q=neng&hl=ca&btnG=Buscar+Imatges


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## balears

Laia said:
			
		

> He:
> 
> http://images.google.es/images?q=neng&hl=ca&btnG=Buscar+Imatges


 
Aaahhh!  
Bueno, es un consuelo ver que el español también pide prestadas palabras del catalán, no sólo al revés...


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## hablo_un_pequeño

Sparrow22 said:
			
		

> Hi !!! at least in Argentina we indistintcly use muchacha/ muchacho for young people, and we mostly use chico/chica and niño/niña for kids, anyway we can also use chico/chica, for teenagers.
> "Conoci un chico fabuloso" (I met a wonderful boy)
> "Es una chica muy dulce" (she's a very sweet girl)
> 
> anyway, you will see other opinions as they differ from country to country.
> 
> cheers !!!


 
Oh thanks, that's very interesting!  So muchacho/muchacha for any young person of any age, but nino/nina for the little ones and chico/chica for teenagers?


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## hablo_un_pequeño

ElGato said:
			
		

> En Puerto Rico se dice también un *nene* o una *nena*.
> Los cubanos acá en la "sagüesera" de Miami dicen un *chiquito* o una *chiquita*.
> Creo que los españoles dicen *chaval* y no sé si chavala para una niña. Los españoles que corrijan por favor.
> 
> 
> Saludos,
> 
> EG


 
Would it be that nene/nena is for babies and chiquito/chiquita is for babies or very young children?


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## hablo_un_pequeño

perrodelmal said:
			
		

> Totally, there's a lot of words we all use but among spanish speaking countries meanings/use/context change.
> 
> Others:
> 
> Chamaco/Chamaca
> Morro/Morra
> Chiquillo/Chiquilla
> Chavo/Chava
> 
> For instance, some people here in Mexico use vieja to say girl, as in "Fui al cine con mi vieja" but in Argentina people would understand that you went with your mom, not your girl.


 
In parts of this country, going with your mom can also be going with your girl, but we don't like to talk about those people.

 

What is the actual meaning and use of the terms for boy and girl you mentioned and where are those used?


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## diegodbs

balears said:
			
		

> Aaahhh!
> Bueno, es un consuelo ver que el español también pide prestadas palabras del catalán, no sólo al revés...


 
Claro, balears. Se me ocurren dos, burdel (sin ánimo de ofender) y capicúa.


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## hablo_un_pequeño

Jazztronik said:
			
		

> *Chaval/chavala* is used a lot in Spain to refer to teenagers or people who is between 18-25 more or less.
> 
> We also use:
> *-niño/niña *formal way to refer to a child. But sometimes used in an affectionate way between young couples.
> 
> -*nene/nena*. Formally it means toddler. But they have the same connotations for couples as above.
> 
> ...
> 
> -*nen*. Same as above very used mainly in Eastern Spain.
> 
> There are more, I'll write them when I can. I must get out.


 
Oh, thanks so much! That's very detailed and helpful.  I'll be looking out for the continuation.


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## hablo_un_pequeño

Orgullomoore said:
			
		

> aporto
> guache/guacha (MX)
> huerco/huerca (MX)
> cipote, cipotillo /cipota, cipotilla (El Salvador)


 
Es increible!  Hay muchos formes diferentes por "boy" y "girl."

Espero hablar correctamente.

Okay, now I hope I said THAT right.


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## Laia

hablo_un_pequeño said:
			
		

> *¡*Es incre*í*ble! Hay much*a*s form*a*s diferentes *de* "boy" y "girl."
> 
> Espero hablar correctamente.
> 
> Okay, now I hope I said THAT right.


 
Just a few corrections


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## Jazztronik

balears said:
			
		

> Muy bien explicado, sí señor.
> Sólo una cosa: _nen_ es una palabra en catalán, no en español.


 
Bueno, es cierto que *nen* es catalán, pero ha trascendido al habla castellana, y se usa también al hablar en castellano.


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## Jazztronik

hablo_un_pequeño said:
			
		

> Would it be that nene/nena is for babies and chiquito/chiquita is for babies or very young children?


 
*nene/nena* sounds good for babies, and also for toddlers.
*chiquito/chiquita* is much more used in Latin America, but you may hear it too in some parts of Spain.

Notice also the connotations besides the literal meanings. Some women say to their boyfriend/husband: *"nene, *pon la mesa para cenar.", and the opposite from men to their girlfriend/wife: *"nena, *qué película quieres ver?"*.* *Chico/chica* is also used by people to refer to their partner: "*mi chico* está trabajando". *Niño/niña* is sometimes used this way too: "Cómo quiero a mi *niña*!".

*Muchacho/muchacha* sound in Spain as an old-fashioned term, used mainly by older people to refer to young ones, rare to hear nowadays, but it's still common in books, novels, etc. *chaval/chavala* is much more common colloquially.


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## Jazztronik

Orgullomoore said:
			
		

> cipote, cipotillo /cipota, cipotilla (El Salvador)


 
Really??  

In Spain "cipote" is one of the vulgar forms to say "penis".


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## hablo_un_pequeño

Laia said:
			
		

> Just a few corrections


 
Thanks. Actually, the punctuation errors weren't errors, I was just hoping the board formatting would automatically do translations so I don't have to dip into the character map to get the right characters.

The rest were errors though.   

Thank you for the corrections.


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## hablo_un_pequeño

Jazztronik said:
			
		

> Really??
> 
> In Spain "cipote" is one of the vulgar forms to say "penis".


 
Yikes, that sounds like one could get oneself into much trouble that way.  Perhaps I'll just avoid that word entirely.


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## hablo_un_pequeño

Jazztronik said:
			
		

> *nene/nena* sounds good for babies, and also for toddlers.
> *chiquito/chiquita* is much more used in Latin America, but you may hear it too in some parts of Spain.
> 
> Notice also the connotations besides the literal meanings. Some women say to their boyfriend/husband: *"nene, *pon la mesa para cenar.", and the opposite from men to their girlfriend/wife: *"nena, *qué película quieres ver?"*.* *Chico/chica* is also used by people to refer to their partner: "*mi chico* está trabajando". *Niño/niña* is sometimes used this way too: "Cómo quiero a mi *niña*!".
> 
> *Muchacho/muchacha* sound in Spain as an old-fashioned term, used mainly by older people to refer to young ones, rare to hear nowadays, but it's still common in books, novels, etc. *chaval/chavala* is much more common colloquially.


 
I see, I see. Thanks!


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