September 11, 2021 by Nicole Canún Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

Cute Pet Names for Your Partner or Significant Other in Spanish

It must be getting pretty serious if you are looking for cute names for your significant other in Spanish!

Some of these words are perfect for a short relationship with your significant other, some of them fit better to 30-year-long committed partners.

In the following list, you’ll find sweet pet names as well as silly, playful ones.

Whichever you choose, know they are meant to be playful, loving, and romantic pet names.

Read ahead to find the perfect pet name forl your significant other in Spanish!

¡Vamos enamorados!
Let’s go, lovebirds!

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How to Be Cute in Spanish

In most Hispanic countries, it’s common to hear people using these endearing words for anyone they talk to—including others they don’t even know! Ultimately, it’s part of the charm and hospitality present in these countries and their cultures.

The closest translation of “cute” in Spanish is:

lindo (masculine)
linda (feminine)

You can be called lindo or linda at a store, restaurant or office. It does not necessarily mean someone is flirting with you, sometimes they are just being extra nice.

More cute names you may hear in day-to-day life:

Lindura – Cutie
Hermosa – Beautiful
Bella – Beauty
Nena – Babe
Reinita – Little queen

The last three have male counterparts—hermoso, bello, and nene—but they’re more typical for comments about children than grown men.

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Most Common Loving Pet Names

These cute names are so common that even if they sound a little cheesy to you, are very colloquial and have lost strength. Some have translations to English and you probably already use them!

It would be easy to categorize them in pet names in Spanish for girls and pet names in Spanish for guys, but some of them apply for both genders:

Mi Vida

Variant: vida mía

This is very romantic if you think about it. Mi vida means “my life” and it includes everything you want to say to that special person in one phrase. Vida mía is less common and really stands out so it sounds more poetic and intentional.

Mi Cielo

Variants: cielo, cielito, mi cielito

The translation of cielo to English is sky or heaven so this expression would be something like “my heaven”. It is just as common as mi vida and all of its variants.

When you add the suffix -ito (for male) or -ita (for female) to a noun it is to imply it is small or to give it a sense of endearment. Mi cielito means “my little heaven” and makes it cuter. This applies to plenty of other cute names.

Cariño

Variant: Cariño mío

Cariño is more common in Spain than it is in Latin America and is normally said by adults. This word means love, but can be interpreted as “dear” or “honey”.

Amor

Variants: mi amor

Amor and mi amor are very habitual things to be said by couples. These cute names are easy and quick and they don’t stand out as cheese although they mean “love” and “my love”.

Corazón

Variants: Mi corazón, corazoncito

Corazón (heart) is an option for the English term “sweetheart” and just like it, it isn’t exclusive to loving partners. The variants are “my heart” and “little heart”

Guapa or Guapo

Up until now, we have covered pet names that do not need a defining gender, but this one does. Guapa (female) and guapo (handsome) mean “pretty” and “handsome” respectively. This is perfect for a young couple in their teenage years. Sounds fresh, fun, and not so serious.

Gorda or Gordo

Variants: Gordita, gordito

Although gorda (female) and gordo (male) means “fat” this is a really endearing term. This one is my personal favorite and also what I call my significant other in Spanish.

Of course, it can sound offensive in the wrong context but as long as the other person is OK with it and you say it in a loving tone, you’ll be fine.

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Cute Names That Refer to Physical Characteristics

Ojitos, Pecas, Ricitos, China, Chinita

If your significant other has a defining physical feature you can call him or her that. For example, if they have courteous eyes you can use the word ojitos that means “little eyes” or just “eyes” with an endearing tone.

Pecas means “freckles,” ricitos is “little curls,” and china or chinita means “curly hair girl.”

Muñeca, muñeco

Variants: muñequita, muñequito

A muñeca or muñeco is a doll. These are really sweet pet names because it is endearing but also flattering.

Preciosa, Precioso

You got it! This one means “precious.” Preciosa is commonly used by salespersons in markets to make you feel comfortable.

Precioso, on the other hand, is rarely used because it sounds a bit feminine unless said by your significant other.

Bonita, bonito

“Pretty” is the closest translation for bonita and bonito. Once again they can both be used as cute names among people that love each other but bonito is less common since it sounds feminine.

Not Enough Cute Names?

I went the extra mile and got you some pet names if you are a foodie, a hopeless romantic, or into adorable animal nicknames. I am giving you these extra ideas so you don’t miss your opportunity to be cute in Spanish!

Poetic

Mi alma – My soul
Mi amada, amado – My loved one
Querida, querido – My dear
Tesoro, mi tesoro – Treasure, my treasure
Luz de mis ojos – Light of my eyes
Luz de mi vida – Light of my life
Mi luz – My light
Amor de mi vida – Love of my life
Mi media naranja – My other half
Mi sol – My sun, my sunshine
Princesa, príncipe – Princess, prince
Mi reina, mi rey – My queen, my king

Foodies

Terroncito de azúcar – Little sugar cube
Dulzura – Sweety
Corazón de melón – Melon heart
Bizcocho – Biscuit

Bombón

A bombón is a marshmallow and you normally say it to flatter someone who’s pretty or looks particularly good that day. If you want your partner to feel flattered every day you can use it as a pet name.

Wild Nicknames

Conejita, conejito – Little bunny
Osita, osito – Little bear
Pajarito – Little bird
Abejita – Little bee

BEWARE! While you can call anyone a little bunny to sound cute, some words may have profoundly negative connotations. A prime example is gatita or gatito, which appears to mean “little kitten,” but in some Spanish-speaking countries it’s a powerfully offensive way of saying “servant.” So be careful if you want to choose a different animal!

Cute in Spanish Slang

Are you in a relationship with a Spanish-speaker? Sound cute in Spanish slang and pretend to be native!

Papi or Papacito and Mami or Mamacita

Although these words come from papá (dad) and mamá (mom), they are variants that are often used to nickname girlfriends and boyfriends. They are playful and give you a tropical feeling.

Chaparra or Chaparro

These words mean “short” and in the right loving context can be used as “shorty.” You can use it regardless of your partner’s height.

Chula or Chulo

These words are very endearing because they are used by abuelas (grandmothers) to describe something beautiful or someone that is thoughtful. But be sure to use it in Mexico, Guatemala or Ecuador because it has not so complimentary meanings in other places of Latin America and Spain.

Güera or Güero

Be sure to put a diéresis or umlaut (which are the two dots that go above a letter) on top of the letter u, which signals that you must pronounce it. Güera is pronounced “gweh-rah” and güero is “gweh-roh” with such a light “hard g” sound that it’s hardly detectable.

Without the umlaut, gue- is “geh” (as in guerra) and gui- is “gee,” (as in guitara) forcing the u to be silent.

Güera or güero can either mean blonde or light-skinned. In Mexican markets everyone calls you that regardless. It is funny, cute, and can easily be used by a couple.

Practice Being Cute In Spanish!

Have you already chosen how to call your significant other in Spanish? Try a couple of pet names and see which one feels the most natural!

But here’s a pro tip: if you think your partner will like these cute names in Spanish, imagine their surprise when they find out you can say more romantic phrases and better yet, have a complete conversation!

Get in touch with our friendly teachers from Guatemala and tell them what you want to learn so they help you make a Spanish package that fits your needs! The HSA family is composed of 24,000 monthly active students and 10 years of experience. Improve your conversational skills and get highschool credit while you are at it!

If you read this article out of curiosity and don’t have a special person to talk to in Spanish, don’t worry! You can travel to Spanish-speaking countries and communicate better by taking some of our classes. Or better yet, if you are from the US, talk to the 53 million people that speak Spanish in your country according to CNN.

Ready to learn more Spanish vocabulary? Check these out!

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Nicole Canún

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Blogger, content creator, and marketer. Proudly Mexican. Been to 30 countries. I love learning from different cultures and trying their cuisines. Obsessed with Asia. Fluent in Spanish and English, not so much in French.