Spanish word

muchacho

Pronunciation

IPA/muˈtʃatʃo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounyoung man

Example

Muchos muchachos participan en el festival del pueblo.

Many young men participate in the town festival.

Illustration for muchacho (young man)

More examples

¿Viste al muchacho de la esquina?

Did you see the young man on the corner?

Core concept

A young, masculine-looking man among peers.

Common phrases

  • un muchacho amable

    a kind young man

  • el muchacho rebelde

    the rebellious young man

  • un muchacho tímido

    a shy young man

Similar words

chico: Young male who has a casual, affectionate tone when spoken about or addressed among friends.
joven: Young person defined by age who carries a neutral tone suitable for formal settings.
niño: Male child who is in early childhood or elementary school, before adolescence.
adolescente: Person who is in the teenage years and undergoing adolescence between child and adult.

Definition in Spanish

Hombre joven o adolescente; expresión coloquial que a menudo subraya la masculinidad y la juventud de la persona nombrada.

Word origin

The word has an uncertain origin but is attested in medieval Spanish and developed alongside muchacha as the masculine form to denote a young man.

Usage tips

  • Used colloquially and as a vocative (¡Muchachos!) to call a group, it sounds informal and emphasizes masculinity, so joven or señor is safer in formal situations.

Other meanings

  • youthnoun
  • boynoun

Opposites

Related words

  • muchachayoung womannoun
  • muchachitolittle boynoun

Word lists with this word