big boy & girl

[Laurita18]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if the idea of "big boy" or "big girl" exists in Spanish. In English, we use it when speaking to young children. It's hard to describe, but examples might be:

"You're 5 years old now! You get to go to kindergarten at a big boy school."
"You have a pull-up on, we can try using the big girl potty."
"Wow! What a big boy you are!" (as in, "Aren't you so grown up!")

It's not really a phrase that is used with children over...5 years old or so. I'm wondering if there is any similar, colloquial language that is used with young children in Spanish.

As always, gracias de antemano. You guys are awesome.

 

[Suggar]

You can use expressions such as: mujercita, hombrecito

 

[Laurita18]

Gracias otra vez, Suggar.

Entonces: "puedes ir a una escuela de hombrecito"?? O mejor-- "eres un hombrecito"?

 

[Suggar]

Ya eres un hombrecito. Para lo de la escuela yo diría 'puedes ir a la escuela de mayores' (Mayores tanto para niñas como para niños)

 

[Laurita18]

Fantastic. Thanks again!!

 

[aurilla]

In Puerto Rico we use a something, "escuela para nenes (niños) / nenas (niñas) grandes", referring to a school for big ("older") boys/girls

 

[CARIELOS]

You can use expressions such as: mujercita, hombrecito

I don't agree completely here, however I don't mean that Suggar's opinion is wrong. These words "hombrecito" and "mujercita" sound like the ones that I would use to describe a teenager (age 13-17), specially when he (she) starts to have physical changes and develop some adult features.

I'd rather use something more literal, like "niño(a) grande"

Marcos is a big boy already, he is not using napies anymore.
Marcos ya es un niño grande, pues no usa pañal.

In my personal opinion is something like this
Bebé < 3
Niño(a) 3 - 8
Muchacho(a) 8 - 13
Hombrecito (Mujercita) 13 -17
Hombre (Mujer) > 18

I hope this helps

 

[aurilla]

I don't agree completely here, however I don't mean that Suggar's opinion is wrong. These words "hombrecito" and "mujercita" sound like the ones that I would use to describe a teenager (age 13-17), specially when he (she) starts to have physical changes and develop some adult features.

I'd rather use something more literal, like "niño(a) grande"

Marcos is a big boy already, he is not using napies anymore.
Marcos ya es un niño grande, pues no usa pañal.

In my personal opinion is something like this
Bebé < 3
Niño(a) 3 - 8
Muchacho(a) 8 - 13
Hombrecito (Mujercita) 13 -17
Hombre (Mujer) > 18

I hope this helps

I agree. Besides, small children understand the concept of "big" = "grande" better than "mujercito'/"hombrecito", which they might take too literally, leading to more confusion than understanding on their part.

 

[MiriamE]

Estoy de acuerdo con Suggar. Quizás sólo lo usemos así en España.

 

[Suggar]

I agree. Besides, small children understand the concept of "big" = "grande" better than "mujercito'/"hombrecito", which they might take too literally, leading to more confusion than understanding on their part.

Believe me, if you use 'hombrecito' or 'mujercita' with a teenager, they would think you are a kind of stupid

un/a niño/a grande sí lo usaría en vez de hombrecito/ mujercita pero nunca con un adolescente

 

[Laurita18]

Mil gracias a todos.

 

[very_lost_in_translation]

you can literally say "ya eres mayor" meaning you're old now (old enough for whatever, sleep on you own, go to school, stop using diapers....)

 

[bruixalluna]

Una duda, para decirle a alguien "niño grande", me refiero a un adulto, que expresión podríamos usar en ingles?