Cute
The feminine form of 'lindo'. In Spanish, adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe. Use 'linda' for feminine nouns.
Means 'pretty' or 'nice'. Very similar to 'lindo/linda' and widely used for people, animals, places, and things.
Means 'tender' or 'sweet'. Use this specifically for babies, small animals, or a heartwarming gesture.
What a cute dog!
Your daughter has a very cute smile.
We bought some cute shoes for the baby.
Look at the kittens. They are very sweet/cute.
The most common word for 'cute' is 'mono' or 'mona'. For example, '¡Qué mono!' means 'How cute!'. Be careful, as 'mono' means 'monkey' in most of Latin America.
'Lindo/a' and 'bonito/a' are standard. You will also hear 'chulo/a' frequently to mean 'cute' or 'good-looking' for people, or 'cool' for objects.
'Lindo/a' and 'bonito/a' are the most common terms. Informally, you might hear 'cuchi' as a cutesy word for babies or pets.
'Lindo/a' is extremely common for people, pets, and things. You will also hear 'tierno/a' for a sweet or cute gesture.
'Lindo/a' is standard. Uniquely, you may hear a baby described as 'rico/a', which literally means 'delicious' but is used to mean 'adorable' or 'chubby-cute'.
La casa es lindo. — La casa es linda. — Adjectives must match the gender of the noun. 'Casa' is a feminine noun, so you must use the feminine adjective 'linda'.
Using 'mono' in Latin America. — Use 'lindo' or 'bonito' instead. — In Spain, 'mono' means 'cute', but in Latin America it means 'monkey'. Calling a baby 'mono' in Mexico or Colombia will sound very strange.
El bebé es caliente. — El bebé es tierno / lindo. — English speakers sometimes try to literally translate phrases like 'heartwarming' and misuse 'caliente' (hot). 'Caliente' refers to temperature or sexual attractiveness and is never used to mean 'cute'.
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