What is the definition of the Spanish word "hijo"?

The Spanish word "hijo" is defined as: "One's male offspring."

Translation of Spanish word "hijo" to English

hijo

/ˈi.xo/

People & Family A1

Meaning

Noun

One's male offspring.

Reviewed by the TheLernen language teamDefinition sourced from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)Last updated: June 16, 2026

How to use

In formal and informal contexts, 'hijo' is used to refer to one's male offspring. For example, 'Mi hijo estudió en la universidad' (My son studied at the university). Be aware that in some cases, 'hijo' can be used as a term of endearment, similar to 'son' in English, but this usage is generally more common in informal settings. Additionally, learners often confuse 'hijo' with 'hija', which refers to a female offspring.

🇬🇧 English

son

Example

Antes del nacimiento del hijo, el hombre dijo: "Quiero un hijo, no una hija".

Before the birth of the son, the man said: "I want a son, not a daughter."

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Synonyms

sonrelativedescendant

Common phrases

hijo único— only child
hijo mayor— eldest son
hijo menor— youngest son

More People & Family words

hija presidente quién niña amiga hermano hermana abuelo abuela tío tía primo

This concept in other languages

🇩🇪German:Sohn 🇬🇧English:son 🇯🇵Japanese:息子 🇵🇱Polish:syn

📖 Related grammar

Spanish Verbs Ser and Estar Por vs Para in Spanish Spanish Comparatives Spanish Object Pronouns Full glossary →

Frequency rank: #209 in Spanish

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Spanish word "hijo" mean?▼

The Spanish word "hijo" means "son" in English.

How do you pronounce the Spanish word "hijo"?▼

You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "hijo" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.

Can I see an example sentence with "hijo"?▼

Yes, here is a practical example: "Antes del nacimiento del hijo, el hombre dijo: "Quiero un hijo, no una hija"." (which translates as "Before the birth of the son, the man said: "I want a son, not a daughter."").