Es pequeño.
It's small.
The driver thinks the space is too small. This is the masculine form.
From Snatch. Cerdos y diamantes · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "small" in Spanish
pequeño
adjectivefeminine: pequeñaplural: pequeños
"Small" in Spanish is pequeño, or pequeña for feminine nouns. In Mexico and several other Latin American countries people also say chico, and for something tiny, chiquito.
Hear "pequeño" in real movie scenes
One masculine, one feminine. Each video starts and stops on that line.
Soy pequeña.
I'm small.
When the person or thing is feminine, the ending becomes -a.
From Pitch Perfect 3 · Spanish audio
Pequeño, chico or chiquito?
All of them mean small. Where you are and how small it is decide which one fits.
| Word | When people use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pequeño | The standard word, understood everywhere | una casa pequeña (a small house) |
| chico | Common for size in Mexico and Argentina | una talla chica (a size small) |
| chiquito | Tiny, often cute | un perro chiquito (a tiny dog) |
| pequeñito | Very small, affectionate | un regalo pequeñito (a little gift) |
Tip: Chico also means boy, and mi hijo pequeño usually means my youngest son, not a small one.
Grammar: pequeño, pequeña
Four things to get right.
Four forms
pequeño, pequeña, pequeños, pequeñas.Before or after the noun
Usually after: una silla pequeña. Before the noun it can sound affectionate: un pequeño regalo.The ñ
ñ is its own letter: pe-KE-nyo.Small size, small amount
Pequeño is about size. For a small amount, use poco: poco dinero (a little money).Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
La silla es pequeña.
The chair is small.
Es un objeto pequeño.
It's a small object.
Es una silla pequeña.
It's a small chair.
Es pequeño.
It's small.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗una silla pequeño
✓una silla pequeña
Silla is feminine, so the adjective ends in -a.
✗pequeño dinero
✓poco dinero
For an amount, say poco.
✗pequeno
✓pequeño
Keep the tilde. Ñ and n are different letters.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
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How to remember it
Pequeño starts like peck. A peck on the cheek is a small kiss.
Questions about "small" in Spanish
How do you say small in Spanish?
Pequeño, or pequeña for feminine nouns. In Mexico you'll also hear chico.
What's the difference between pequeño and poco?
Pequeño describes size, poco describes amount: una casa pequeña, poco tiempo.
How do you say "very small" in Spanish?
Muy pequeño, or pequeñito and chiquito for something tiny.
