muchacho
Lemma Details
Translation: boy; lad; young man; guy
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Old Spanish 'mochacho', derived from the word 'mocho' (meaning 'cropped' or 'shorn'), possibly referring to a young person with a short haircut. The term evolved from Latin 'mutilus' (mutilated or maimed). The feminine form 'muchacha' means 'girl' or 'young woman'. This word is fundamental in Spanish culture and daily speech when referring to young males.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 20%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Los muchachos están jugando al fútbol en el parque.
The boys are playing soccer in the park.
¡Oye, muchacho! ¿Me puedes ayudar con estas bolsas?
Hey, young man! Can you help me with these bags?
Mi hermano es un buen muchacho.
My brother is a good boy.
Cuando era muchacho, vivía en el campo.
When I was a boy, I lived in the countryside.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'much macho' - a young boy trying to be manly or macho.
- The 'mucha' part sounds like 'much of a' - as in 'much of a boy'.
- Remember the 'ch' sound in the middle, which is common in Spanish words for young people (muchacho, chico, chaval).
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'muchacho' is commonly used to address young males in everyday conversation. In some Latin American countries, it can also be used as a friendly term for males of various ages, similar to 'buddy' or 'pal'. In service contexts, it might be used by older people to address younger male servers or workers.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Muchacho' means 'boy' or 'young man', while 'mucho' means 'much' or 'a lot'. They look similar but have completely different meanings and uses.
Confused word:
Hay mucho trabajo por hacer.
There is a lot of work to do.
Notes: The stress in 'muchacho' is on the second syllable (mu-CHA-cho), while in 'mucho' it's on the first syllable (MU-cho).
Mnemonic: 'Muchacho' has 'cha' in the middle, think 'child' or 'chap', while 'mucho' is shorter and means 'much'.
Explanation: 'Muchacho' is masculine and refers to a boy or young man, while 'muchacha' is feminine and refers to a girl or young woman.
Notes: Both words follow the standard Spanish pattern where -o endings are typically masculine and -a endings are typically feminine.
Mnemonic: 'Muchacho' ends in 'o' (typically masculine in Spanish) while 'muchacha' ends in 'a' (typically feminine).