"el bicho"
My nickname for one of my daughters is "little bug". El bicho seems to be the most popular translation for bug. ¿Since my daughter is obviously feminine, would I use a feminine form "bicha" even though the noun is masculine?
Going one step further, would bichita be a reasonable translation of "little bug"?
I'm a bit leery of using this noun at all because of it's similarity to English profanity so any suggestions are welcome.
11 Answers
Yes, I'd be careful with this one. In some countries "bicho" does legitimately mean "bug" and carries no other nuance, but in some Caribbean areas "bicho" is quite vulgar.
Maybe something like "mi mosquita" or ":mi mosquito", which is hardly as generic as "little bug", but a lot safer. ("mosco" is "fly" in Mexico / "mosca" is "fly" in Spain... the "-ito" or -"ita" ending would do the "cute/littlle/special/precious" feeling.
Truly, I think "mi mosquita" is kinda cute!
Even translated literally it has negative connotations in Spanish - vermin, maggot, creepy crawly, weirdo, etc.
In many places it's not translated literally. Read this if you still have any doubts - Urban Dictionary
I would never use "bicho" to refer to a person as it's the term used for intestinal worms where I lived in Peru! Because the word has such negative connotations I wouldn't use "bicha" or even "bichita" as a nickname. But that's very interesting that it can be a term of endearment in other places - that's why this forum is so great; we can learn the differences in Spanish in different places!
El Bicho es un nombre de un grupo español de flamenco fusión 
. De todas formas, bicha es peyorativo; en algunas regiones de España (por ejemplo en Andalucia) se dice de alguien que es mala persona.
I just want to expound on Alagarabía's answer, which is the one I most closely identify with.
Bichito - bichita is perfectly fine as a term of endearment in many Latin American countries (with the pointed exception, as I mentioned in my comment, of Puerto Rico.
However, "bicho", said to a male, would be something between a tease and a mild insult. In some places it is ok to greet your buddy as: "Hola bicho, cómo te va?" But you can also refer to a repugnant, corrupt politician as: "¡Ése si se que es un bicho!" (That one's a real creep!)
If said to a female, "bicha" sounds anywhere from despectivederogatory to downright insulting. So do not ever refer to a friend as "Hola, Bicha", or "La Bicha". Just not nice.
I hope I made things more confusing. That's my mission here.
Bicho is quite common in Mexico, and it is not offensive. and bichita is better than mosca or mosquita.
mosquita muerta= hipocrita.
In fact in bichito (Mexico only) is an other way to say pussy cat.
bye.
Here's a similar thread that might give you some ideas Terms of Endearment
Some one even suggests 'pulga' - flea!
That's weird, I'm not native but I think of "el bicho" as a little beast, little pest........ but not like a little "pest" like a cutie pest, but like a nasty little pest. I think of "insecto" as bug. Also, bicho raro is weirdo, but I wonder what the natives will say.
Bicho (bug) sounds too much like B****. Can't be good so I think I'll skip this word and use insecto to be safe or use it for mosquitos, moscas (flies) y avispas (wasps). Son bichos.
En partes de Mexico y Centro America BIcho es una persona que no vale nada o una persona despreciable.
Soy de Argentina y es comun decirle a un niño "mi bichito" cariñosamente y "mi bichita" a una nena. Ademas la palabra BICHO tiene muchisimos otros significados, hasta peyorativos. Jor
