How to Say “Small” in Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding how to express the concept of “small” in Spanish is crucial for effective communication. While “pequeño” is the most common translation, Spanish offers a variety of words and expressions to convey different nuances of size, diminutiveness, and insignificance.

This guide will explore the various ways to say “small” in Spanish, providing detailed explanations, examples, and practice exercises to help you master this essential aspect of the language. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this article will enhance your vocabulary and improve your fluency in Spanish.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition of “Small” in Spanish
3. Structural Breakdown
4. Types and Categories of “Small” in Spanish
   • Pequeño/a
   • Chico/a
   • Diminuto/a
   • Mínimo/a
   • Bajo/a
   • Corto/a
   • Insignificante
   • Other Adjectives
5. Examples
   • Examples with “Pequeño/a”
   • Examples with “Chico/a”
   • Examples with “Diminuto/a”
   • Examples with “Mínimo/a”
   • Examples with “Bajo/a”
   • Examples with “Corto/a”
   • Examples with “Insignificante”
   • Examples with Other Adjectives
6. Usage Rules
7. Common Mistakes
8. Practice Exercises
9. Advanced Topics
10. FAQ
11. Conclusion

Definition of “Small” in Spanish

The concept of “small” in Spanish is primarily conveyed by the adjective pequeño/a. However, depending on the context and the specific nuance you wish to express, other words like chico/a, diminuto/a, mínimo/a, bajo/a, corto/a, and insignificante can be used. These words describe something that is less than average in size, quantity, or importance. Understanding the subtle differences between these terms is essential for accurate and expressive communication in Spanish.

The word you choose will depend on whether you are referring to physical size, quantity, importance, or another attribute. For example, pequeño generally refers to physical size, while insignificante refers to a lack of importance. Bajo and corto refer to height and length respectively. Therefore, selecting the appropriate term is crucial for conveying your intended meaning accurately.

Structural Breakdown

In Spanish, adjectives generally follow the noun they modify. This is a key difference from English, where adjectives usually precede the noun.

Therefore, you would say “el coche pequeño” (the small car) rather than “el pequeño coche.” Adjectives in Spanish must also agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. This means that if the noun is masculine, the adjective must be masculine, and if the noun is plural, the adjective must be plural.

For example:

• Masculine singular: el libro pequeño (the small book)
• Feminine singular: la casa pequeña (the small house)
• Masculine plural: los libros pequeños (the small books)
• Feminine plural: las casas pequeñas (the small houses)

The adjectives pequeño/a, chico/a, diminuto/a and others follow this rule, changing their endings to agree with the noun. Some adjectives, like insignificante, have the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns but still must agree in number.

Types and Categories of “Small” in Spanish

Pequeño/a

Pequeño/a is the most common and versatile translation of “small” in Spanish. It generally refers to physical size and can be used to describe objects, people, animals, and places. It is a general term and can be used in a wide variety of contexts.

Chico/a

Chico/a is another common word for “small,” but it is often used more informally than pequeño/a. It can also mean “young” or “little,” especially when referring to children. It’s important to note that in some Latin American countries, “chico/a” can also mean “boyfriend/girlfriend.”

Diminuto/a

Diminuto/a means “tiny” or “minuscule.” It emphasizes extreme smallness and is often used to describe something that is exceptionally small or delicate. It carries a stronger connotation of smallness than pequeño/a or chico/a.

Mínimo/a

Mínimo/a translates to “minimum” or “smallest.” It is used to refer to the lowest possible amount or degree of something. This word is often used in contexts where you are talking about limits or requirements.

Bajo/a

Bajo/a means “short” or “low.” It is used to describe something that is not tall or high. When describing people, it refers to their height. When describing objects, it refers to their vertical dimension.

Corto/a

Corto/a means “short” in terms of length. It is used to describe something that is not long. This could refer to physical objects, distances, or time periods.

Insignificante

Insignificante means “insignificant” or “unimportant.” It is used to describe something that has little or no value or importance. This word does not refer to physical size but rather to the significance or impact of something.

Other Adjectives

There are many more adjectives to describe “small” in Spanish, each with its own specific nuance. Some examples include:

• Menor: Smaller, lesser
• Reducido/a: Reduced, diminished
• Microscópico/a: Microscopic
• Enano/a: Dwarf, tiny

Examples

Examples with “Pequeño/a”

The following table provides a variety of examples using “pequeño/a” in different contexts. Notice how the adjective changes to match the gender and number of the noun.

Spanish	English
El perro es pequeño.	The dog is small.
La casa es pequeña.	The house is small.
Los coches son pequeños.	The cars are small.
Las manzanas son pequeñas.	The apples are small.
Tengo un problema pequeño.	I have a small problem.
Ella tiene una mano pequeña.	She has a small hand.
Vivimos en un pueblo pequeño.	We live in a small town.
Es un pequeño detalle.	It’s a small detail.
El gato es muy pequeño.	The cat is very small.
La habitación es pequeña pero acogedora.	The room is small but cozy.
Compré un pastel pequeño.	I bought a small cake.
Es una pequeña victoria.	It’s a small victory.
Necesito una caja pequeña.	I need a small box.
El niño tiene zapatos pequeños.	The boy has small shoes.
La empresa es pequeña.	The company is small.
Mi apartamento es pequeño, pero cómodo.	My apartment is small, but comfortable.
Este es un pequeño ejemplo.	This is a small example.
Ella tiene una colección pequeña de sellos.	She has a small collection of stamps.
El jardín es pequeño.	The garden is small.
Es un pequeño paso para el hombre.	It’s a small step for man.
Ese restaurante es pequeño.	That restaurant is small.
Tenemos un pequeño secreto.	We have a small secret.
Es una pequeña isla.	It’s a small island.
El vaso es pequeño.	The glass is small.
La ventana es pequeña.	The window is small.

Examples with “Chico/a”

Here are some examples using chico/a. Note the informal tone and the potential for it to mean “young” or “boyfriend/girlfriend” depending on the context.

Spanish	English
Es un chico pequeño.	He is a small boy.
Tengo una casa chica.	I have a small house.
¿Tienes hermanos chicos?	Do you have younger siblings?
Mi coche es chico.	My car is small.
Ella es mi chica.	She is my girlfriend.
Este es un problema chico.	This is a small problem.
Es un pueblo chico.	It’s a small town.
¿Tienes un hermano chico?	Do you have a little brother?
Es una empresa chica.	It’s a small company.
Tenemos un jardín chico.	We have a small garden.
El vaso es chico.	The glass is small.
La ventana es chica.	The window is small.
Es una isla chica.	It’s a small island.
Mi secreto es chico.	My secret is small.
Es un restaurante chico.	It’s a small restaurant.
Es un paso chico para el hombre.	It’s a small step for man.
Es un apartamento chico.	It’s a small apartment.
Es un ejemplo chico.	It’s a small example.
Tiene una colección chica de sellos.	She has a small collection of stamps.
Mi problema es chico.	My problem is small.
Que chico tan mono.	What a cute boy.
Es una habitación chica.	It’s a small room.
Compré un pastel chico.	I bought a small cake.

Examples with “Diminuto/a”

The following table showcases examples using diminuto/a to emphasize extreme smallness.

Spanish	English
La hormiga es diminuta.	The ant is tiny.
El bebé tiene manos diminutas.	The baby has tiny hands.
Es una porción diminuta.	It’s a minuscule portion.
Vi una araña diminuta.	I saw a tiny spider.
Las letras son diminutas.	The letters are minuscule.
Es un punto diminuto en el mapa.	It’s a tiny dot on the map.
El pueblo es diminuto.	The town is tiny.
Encontré una moneda diminuta.	I found a tiny coin.
El error fue diminuto.	The error was tiny.
Tiene una casa diminuta.	She has a tiny house.
El insecto es diminuto.	The insect is tiny.
Es un espacio diminuto.	It’s a tiny space.
Escribió una nota diminuta.	He wrote a tiny note.
La isla es diminuta.	The island is tiny.
El jardín es diminuto.	The garden is tiny.
El vaso es diminuto.	The glass is tiny.
La ventana es diminuta.	The window is tiny.
Su secreto es diminuto.	Her secret is tiny.
El restaurante es diminuto.	The restaurant is tiny.
Es un paso diminuto.	It’s a tiny step.
El apartamento es diminuto.	The apartment is tiny.
Es un ejemplo diminuto.	It’s a tiny example.
Tiene una colección diminuta de sellos.	She has a tiny collection of stamps.

Examples with “Mínimo/a”

The following table demonstrates the use of mínimo/a to refer to the smallest possible amount or degree.

Spanish	English
La temperatura mínima es de 5 grados.	The minimum temperature is 5 degrees.
Necesito un esfuerzo mínimo.	I need a minimum effort.
El salario mínimo es muy bajo.	The minimum wage is very low.
Tenemos un impacto mínimo.	We have a minimum impact.
El riesgo es mínimo.	The risk is minimal.
Requiere una inversión mínima.	It requires a minimum investment.
La cantidad mínima es 10 euros.	The minimum amount is 10 euros.
El requisito mínimo es tener un título.	The minimum requirement is to have a degree.
Es el nivel mínimo de seguridad.	It’s the minimum level of security.
El espacio mínimo requerido es pequeño.	The minimum space required is small.
El tiempo mínimo es una hora.	The minimum time is one hour.
La distancia mínima es 1 metro.	The minimum distance is 1 meter.
Se necesita un presupuesto mínimo.	A minimum budget is needed.
El consumo mínimo es bajo.	The minimum consumption is low.
El volumen mínimo es aceptable.	The minimum volume is acceptable.
La participación mínima es necesaria.	Minimum participation is necessary.
El daño fue mínimo.	The damage was minimal.
La intervención fue mínima.	The intervention was minimal.
El apoyo mínimo es apreciado.	Minimum support is appreciated.
La atención mínima es importante.	Minimum attention is important.

Examples with “Bajo/a”

The following table provides examples of using bajo/a to describe something that is short or low.

Spanish	English
El edificio es bajo.	The building is low.
Ella es baja.	She is short.
El precio es bajo.	The price is low.
La mesa es baja.	The table is low.
Su voz es baja.	His voice is low.
Es un nivel bajo de riesgo.	It’s a low level of risk.
La presión es baja.	The pressure is low.
El árbol es bajo.	The tree is short.
La marea está baja.	The tide is low.
Tengo la moral baja.	I have low morale.
Es un vuelo bajo.	It’s a low flight.
La probabilidad es baja.	The probability is low.
Es un rendimiento bajo.	It’s a low performance.
La calidad es baja.	The quality is low.
El voltaje es bajo.	The voltage is low.
Es un puesto bajo en la jerarquía.	It’s a low position in the hierarchy.
Tiene una nota baja.	He has a low grade.
El estante es bajo.	The shelf is low.
Es un perfil bajo.	It’s a low profile.
La demanda es baja.	The demand is low.

Examples with “Corto/a”

The following table provides examples of using corto/a to describe something that is short in length or duration.

Spanish	English
El pelo es corto.	The hair is short.
La falda es corta.	The skirt is short.
El camino es corto.	The road is short.
La película es corta.	The movie is short.
La visita fue corta.	The visit was short.
Es una historia corta.	It’s a short story.
El tiempo es corto.	The time is short.
Es un mensaje corto.	It’s a short message.
La distancia es corta.	The distance is short.
Es un viaje corto.	It’s a short trip.
La conversación fue corta.	The conversation was short.
Es un resumen corto.	It’s a short summary.
El plazo es corto.	The deadline is short.
Es un pantalón corto.	It’s a short pant.
La manga es corta.	The sleeve is short.
Es un circuito corto.	It’s a short circuit.
La memoria es corta.	The memory is short.
Es un paseo corto.	It’s a short walk.
La paciencia es corta.	The patience is short.
Es un contrato corto.	It’s a short contract.

Examples with “Insignificante”

The following table demonstrates the use of insignificante to describe something that is unimportant or insignificant.

Spanish	English
El error es insignificante.	The error is insignificant.
El costo es insignificante.	The cost is insignificant.
El detalle es insignificante.	The detail is insignificant.
La diferencia es insignificante.	The difference is insignificant.
El impacto es insignificante.	The impact is insignificant.
La cantidad es insignificante.	The amount is insignificant.
El problema es insignificante.	The problem is insignificant.
La contribución es insignificante.	The contribution is insignificant.
La pérdida es insignificante.	The loss is insignificant.
El cambio es insignificante.	The change is insignificant.
La ganancia es insignificante.	The profit is insignificant.
El riesgo es insignificante.	The risk is insignificant.
La influencia es insignificante.	The influence is insignificant.
La importancia es insignificante.	The importance is insignificant.
El valor es insignificante.	The value is insignificant.
La preocupación es insignificante.	The concern is insignificant.
La molestia es insignificante.	The annoyance is insignificant.
El efecto es insignificante.	The effect is insignificant.
La consecuencia es insignificante.	The consequence is insignificant.
La mejora es insignificante.	The improvement is insignificant.

Examples with Other Adjectives

Here are some examples using other adjectives that can express “small” in specific contexts.

Spanish	English
Es una porción menor.	It’s a smaller portion.
El tamaño fue reducido.	The size was reduced.
Es un organismo microscópico.	It’s a microscopic organism.
Es una casa enana.	It’s a tiny house.
Es una cantidad menor.	It’s a lesser amount.
El precio fue reducido.	The price was reduced.
Es una célula microscópica.	It’s a microscopic cell.
Es un árbol enano.	It’s a dwarf tree.
Es un riesgo menor.	It’s a smaller risk.
El volumen fue reducido.	The volume was reduced.
Es una bacteria microscópica.	It’s a microscopic bacteria.
Es un perro enano.	It’s a dwarf dog.
Es un problema menor.	It’s a smaller problem.
La velocidad fue reducida.	The speed was reduced.
Es un virus microscópico.	It’s a microscopic virus.
Es un gato enano.	It’s a dwarf cat.

Usage Rules

When using these adjectives, remember the following rules:

• Agreement: Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
• Placement: Adjectives generally follow the noun in Spanish.
• Context: Choose the adjective that best fits the context and the nuance you want to convey.
• Formality: Be aware of the level of formality. Chico/a is more informal than pequeño/a.

Pay special attention to the context. For example, you would use bajo to describe the height of a person, but you would use corto to describe the length of a piece of string. Similarly, while both pequeño and chico can describe a small house, chico might be more common in informal conversation.

Common Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using these adjectives:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
El pequeño coche.	El coche pequeño.	Adjective placement.
La libro pequeño.	El libro pequeño.	Gender agreement (libro is masculine).
Las casas pequeño.	Las casas pequeñas.	Number agreement (casas is plural).
Soy bajo. (when referring to weight)	Soy delgado.	Bajo refers to height, not weight.
Es un problema corto.	Es un problema pequeño.	Corto refers to length, not size of a problem.

Another common mistake is using the wrong adjective for the context. For instance, saying “El error es chico” might be understood, but “El error es insignificante” is more precise if you mean the error is not important.

Practice Exercises

Complete the following sentences with the appropriate adjective (pequeño/a, chico/a, diminuto/a, mínimo/a, bajo/a, corto/a, insignificante).

Question	Answer
1. El gato es muy __________.	pequeño
2. Necesito un esfuerzo __________.	mínimo
3. Ella es __________.	baja
4. El pelo es __________.	corto
5. El error es __________.	insignificante
6. Tengo una casa __________.	chica
7. La hormiga es __________.	diminuta
8. El precio es __________.	bajo
9. La visita fue __________.	corta
10. El problema es __________.	pequeño
11. Es un pueblo __________.	pequeño/chico
12. El bebé tiene manos __________.	diminutas
13. El riesgo es __________.	mínimo
14. La mesa es __________.	baja
15. Es una historia __________.	corta
16. El detalle es __________.	insignificante
17. Tengo un hermano __________.	chico
18. Las letras son __________.	diminutas
19. La temperatura __________ es de 5 grados.	mínima
20. El edificio es __________.	bajo

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, consider exploring the use of diminutive suffixes in Spanish, such as -ito/a and -illo/a. These suffixes can be added to nouns and adjectives to express smallness, affection, or endearment. For example, casa (house) becomes casita (small house), and pequeño (small) can become pequeñito (very small/cute).

Also, investigate regional variations in the usage of these adjectives. For example, the use of chico/a may vary in frequency and connotation across different Spanish-speaking countries. Additionally, explore idiomatic expressions that incorporate these words, such as “a lo grande” (to do something in a big way, the opposite of “small”).

FAQ

1. What is the most common way to say “small” in Spanish?

   The most common way to say “small” in Spanish is pequeño/a. It’s a versatile term that can be used in many different contexts to describe physical size.

2. Is there a difference between pequeño and chico?

   Yes, while both mean “small,” chico/a is generally more informal than pequeño/a. Also, chico/a can also mean “young” or “little,” especially when referring to children. In some Latin American countries, it can also mean “boyfriend/girlfriend.”

3. When should I use diminuto?