Using niño as a term of endearment?

Question

Te quiero mi ____? My 2 year old grandson is bi-lingual and is starting to add a lot of English and Spanish words to his vocabulary. I know if you add "ito" to the ending of some Spanish words it lends an endearment factor. Is this true for "niño"? If not "niño", is there another word I can use?

Gracias

Answer 1

Masquenada,

I know that you can use niño as a term of endearment, but mija/mijo is more common in the Spanish-speaking language.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

.when you want to just hug this child to death cuz he is as cute as cute can be, and you adore him, niño just doesn't seem enough. Since he is not my son but my grandson, mi hijo may not be the term to use?

There's no way to explain this in absolute terms, because the words we use to express love are absolutely subjective, and largely contextual. I have heard some people use very sincerely certain words to express affection, that for other people may sound horribly insulting.

I use "niño(a)" often, to express fondness, affection or deep love to a variety of children:

To my kid: " Hola mi niño amado, ven para darte un abrazo"

To a godchild: "¿Cómo está mi niña preciosa?"

To one of my kid's buddies: "Hola niña preciosa, ¿cómo estas?"

M'ijo, which has been mentioned above, can be used as a tender word for endearment, or as an utterly superficial word with a complete stranger: "¡Ya está bueno, m'ija, deja la grosería!"

I think the expression of love is more in the sincerity of your tone, than in the word itsef:

"Te amo mi monito precioso", "te quiero lagartijita", "te adoro mi cachorrito", "te quiero con todo mi corazón, mi niño, mi caramelo, mi ranita, mi pajarito, mi grandulón, mi pilluelo, mi rayito de sol, mi ternura..." a lot of nonsensical words can fit here without altering the fact that you simply love that person very much!

Wow! That's the ticket...what a choice I have now, gracias. - foxluv, Apr 24, 2011

Sure you didn't miss "lagartijita." :) - Deanski, Apr 24, 2011

Answer 3

You may see "Mi hijo" written "Mijo," but it's incorrect. It's simply spoken in a manner that runs the two words together.

*mijo.

(Del lat. mil?um).

1. m. Planta de la familia de las Gramíneas, originaria de la India, con tallos de unos seis decímetros de longitud, hojas planas, largas y puntiagudas, y flores en panojas terminales, encorvadas en el ápice.
2. m. Semilla de esta planta, pequeña, redonda, brillante y de color blanco amarillento.
3. m. maíz. ~ ceburro.*

1. m. candeal (? trigo).

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Yes, you can also say "Mi niñito(a)."

Answer 4

Now wouldn't you just want to hug him to death?? mi niñito!

Es un niño hermoso. ¡Felicitaciones, abuelita! - Gekkosan, Apr 24, 2011

Answer 5

This really is not as complicated as that. "Niño" is used in pretty much the same way it is used in English:

"Hello my child", "come,dear child" - "Hola mi niño, ven mi niño querido". "¿Cómo está mi niñito?" How's my little child?

The other suggested terms are fine, but there's nothing wrong with "niño".

Gekkosan...Yes, I agree it is correct, but...when you want to just hug this child to death cuz he is as cute as cute can be, and you adore him, niño just doesn't seem enough. Since he is not my son but my grandson, mi hijo may not be the term to use? - foxluv, Apr 24, 2011

Answer 6

Among the Spanish speaking folks in my community, mijo/mija is used frequently, more often than the child's name.

Answer 7

Yes, I believe niño can be used to convey endearment.

• I believe one could also use "mijo" for endearment, although mijo is a contraction of mi + hijo, which means, obviously, "my son".