Spanish Conversation · Level 3
87 words
Spanish word
niñez
Pronunciation
IPA/niˈɲeθ/
Meaning
- feminine nounchildhood
Example
Durante su niñez aprendió a tocar la guitarra.
During his childhood he learned to play the guitar.
More examples
La niñez suele influir en nuestros gustos musicales.
Childhood often influences our musical tastes.
Core concept
The span of early life marked by learning language and social behavior.
Common phrases
una niñez feliz
a happy childhood
recuerdos de la niñez
childhood memories
fase de la niñez
stage of childhood
Similar words
infancia: First years of life when language, habits, and social routines are learned.
adolescencia: Teenage developmental period when thinking and emotions change markedly.
Definition in Spanish
Tiempo de la vida en que una persona es niño o niña y desarrolla el lenguaje, las relaciones sociales y habilidades básicas.
Word origin
Derived from niño with the abstractive suffix -ez, whereas the related word infancia comes from Latin infantia, so they overlap in meaning but have different origins.
Usage tips
- In conversation Spanish speakers often prefer phrases like de niño or cuando era niño, making niñez sound more formal or literary.
Opposites
- adultezadulthoodnoun
- vejezold agenoun
Related words
- niñerababysitternoun
- niñeríachildishnessnoun