Stages of Life in Spanish: Vocabulary and Timeline

Life is made of different stages that are full of changes and unique experiences. 

Knowing the stages of life in Spanish is ideal for addressing those who surround you according to their age, experience, and understanding of things. 

Being able to describe the stages of life in Spanish also helps you communicate with more people and share anecdotes, misfortunes, and discuss life in general. 

Join me in this thrilling blog post where I lay down the different stages of life in Spanish as we explore a useful vocab guide for you to use and enjoy some popular stages of life quotes.

Let’s get started!

“Life is a Journey, Not a Destination”

Las etapas de la vida (stages of life) are all different from each other. Un recien nacido (a newborn) goes through different changes than an adolescent, not to mention the rate of growth and development is also different. 

Humans in general experience both physical and emotional changes that prepare you for situations that are often specific to our age group. The stages of life also define how you behave, what your needs are, and overall perception of reality. 

Each stage of life is unique and worth enjoying to the fullest one day at a time. 

As life flashes before your eyes, looking back on each of the stages of life is a wonderful way to reminisce on your experiences. 

Take as much as you can from this valuable lesson and prepare to share some stories about your stages of life in Spanish!

Stages of Life in Spanish PDF Timeline

El nacimiento (birth)

The first stage of life is el nacimiento (birth). It takes nine full months for a mother to develop a baby and prepare it for coming out into the world. It’s in the womb where this process begins. 

El feto (a fetus) requires nutritious food to grow healthy and strong to tackle what’s outside. While in the womb, humans also start learning and perceiving through touch and sound. The human brain begins to function once it forms and responds to different stimuli. 

El parto (birth) can be 100% natural or the mother can request the use of an epidural for easing the pain. There’s also the possibility of giving birth through a scheduled or emergency cesarea (c section) in case of complications or difficulties. When a baby is born, it marks the beginning of their journey in life. 

Let’s take a look at some birth related vocabulary you can use when discussing the first of the stages of life in Spanish.

El embarazo dura nueve meses.
Pregnancy lasts nine months.

La madre da a luz a través de parto natural o por medio de cesárea. 
A mother gives birth through natural birth or through a c section. 

El feto se alimenta por el cordón umbilical.
The fetus feeds through the umbilical cord.

Yo nací por parto natural.
I was born by natural childbirth. 

Recién Nacido (Newborn)

After a baby is born another one of the stages of life begins. El recién nacido (newborn) is a baby from 0 to 2 months old. Some newborns often come ahead of time and don’t necessarily go through a nine month pregnancy. 

Newborns that come ahead are known as bebes prematuros (preemies). During this short period, newborns rely 100% on their parents and require constant feeding, sleep, and nurture. This stage is key for newborns to start forming bonds with their caregivers, in the case of the mom, breastfeeding when possible is key for strengthening this bond. 

This stage of life includes crying and whining, something that varies from newborn to newborn. Crying is perfectly normal and newborns use it in order to communicate what they’re feeling or need. There’s also exciting developments taking place, such as the newborn’s first smiles, opening their eyes, growing 1 to 2 inches, and gaining 2 to 4 pounds since birth. 

Let’s examine newborn vocabulary in Spanish you can use for talking about the stages of life in Spanish. 

Mi bebé es prematuro, nació de 8 meses.
My baby is a preemie, he was born at 8 months. 

Los bebés a los dos meses solo quieren dormir y comer.
Two-month old babies only want to nap and eat.

La leche materna es lo mejor para alimentar a un recién nacido. 
Breast Milk is the best for feeding a newborn. 

Yo alimento a mi recién nacido con biberón.
I feed my newborn with a milk bottle.  

Bebé (Baby)

This is definitely one of the stages of life in Spanish you’ll love talking about if you’re a parent. Humans are considered bebés (babies) when they’re from 2 months to 1 year of age. During this period of life los bebés develop at an astonishing rate. 

They learn to smile consistently, wave, sit up, roll over, clap, touch their feet, pick up objects, crawl, and babble. Some babies even start speaking their first words, but this varies with everybody. 

Babies start to enjoy movement, music, playing peek a boo, and other simple games. During this stage of life, babies also trust and bond more with their caregivers. They also need stimulation for developing motor and cognitive skills at an early age.

Los bebes start getting used to their routine, their sleep becomes constant and regulated. They begin to stand up and walk around holding onto things around them like furniture. Some even learn to walk independently. Babies also triple their birth weight and grow from 6 to 8 inches. 

Let’s take a look at baby related vocabulary in Spanish.

Los bebés de un año dan sus primeros pasos a esa edad.
One year olds start walking at their age. 

Mi hijo de seis meses está diciendo sus primeras palabras.
My six month old son is saying his first words.

La beba se llama Lucía.
The baby’s name is Lucía. 

A mi bebe le gusta ir en la carriola con sus juguetes.
My baby likes going in her stroller with her toys. 

La infancia y la niñez (Toddler and Childhood)

There isn’t a direct translation for the word toddler in Spanish. So how do you say and refer to humans that are at this point of the stages of life in Spanish?

They’re usually called niño o niña pequeña. The word toddler has also been adopted to modern day Spanish as a frequently used Americanism. Other people also use the word nene or nena or refer to it as la infancia (infanthood). 

Los nenes or las nenas are children who range from 1 to 4 years of age. These small children are toddling or learning how to walk. At this stage, toddlers become more independent and mobile. They’re eager to explore anything they have access to and it spikes their curiosity. They also start identifying and imitating people around them.

Before turning 4 years of age, children also begin to follow instructions, understand rules, play more complex games, and speak or construct full phrases. They begin to converse and ask questions. They prepare to enter preschool. 

Once you go through the experience of preschool until entering elementary school, you experience la niñez (childhood). The expression la infancia is also Spanish translation for childhood. 

There is no set age definition for  childhood, but it stops before fully reaching the teenage years and a new level of physical and intellectual maturity. 

During childhood a kid goes through notable changes in height, new motor skills appear, and a new range of emotions begins to manifest. Children develop stronger social abilities, they make friendships and get new hobbies and interests. A unique emotion like defiance also begins to manifest, as children can now show resistance with likes and dislikes. 

A few words you can use to talk about these stages of life in Spanish are:

Mi hijo de tres años ya va a preescolar.
My three year old child goes to preschool.

A mis niñas de cinco años les gusta jugar muñecas. 
My five year old girls like playing with dolls.

Felipe tiene siete años y le gusta hacer karate. 
Felipe is seven years old and likes doing karate. 

Mi hermana Isabel está en primaria. 
My sister Isabel is in elementary. 

Preadolescencia (Pre-adolescence)

Los preadolescentes (pre-teens) are between 10 and 13 years of age. Among the stages of life in Spanish, this one can often be desafiante (challenging) . Changes start to be more drastic because you’re neither a teen, nor a little kid anymore. 
Girls at this age become mature before boys. La pubertad (puberty) also starts to manifest and body image issues can sometimes unfold, as well as pride for growing taller, changing voice, and developing muscles.

Out of all stages of life in Spanish, la pre adolescencia brings hormonas (hormones) into the mix. This can also bring mood swings, changes in behavior, and interests can change drastically or out of the blue. 

This type of behavior is perfectly normal, as it’s during these years where individual identity begins to form. Use the following vocabulary to talk about the pre-teen years:

Mi hijo preadolescente está cambiando de voz.
My pre-teen son is changing voice. 

A mi hermana de trece años ya no le gustan las muñecas.
My thirteen year old sister doesn’t like dolls anymore. 

Las niñas maduran antes que los niños.
Girls mature before boys do. 

Los cambios de humor son signo de la pubertad.
Mood swings are a sign of puberty. 

Adolescencia (Adolescence)

Out of all the stages of life in Spanish, reaching la adolescencia (adolescence)  is definitely proof that time flies. 

When you reach the teenage years, there’s only a few left for you to prepare yourself for real life. Los años adolescentes (teenage years) are from 13 to 18 years of age. 

As the years pass in la adolescencia, physical growth slows down in the latter years. At the beginning however, it seems to go at an impressive rate. Teens are able to outgrow clothes in a matter of weeks.

Emotional maturity also increases and with them the ability to control these emotions. Major exciting events of life that help define your future take place during the teen years. The first romantic relationship, learning to drive, an after school job, and going through the high-school adventure. 

New responsibilities are also a part of the lives of teens and with them a new strategy of discipline and chores becomes more consistent. Teens require learning problem solving strategies and skills for becoming self-sufficient adults. 

Let’s examine vocabulary in Spanish for talking about the teenage years. 

Adultez (Adulthood)

You become un adulto (adult) once you hit eighteen. At this point you have to make life defining decisions like choosing a career, going to college, getting a job, or becoming independent. The rate at which you make these choices varies for all. It might be in your mid twenties or earlier, or you might be a late bloomer. 

This stage is defined by people seeking higher education and stability. Settling down also becomes a concern, people choose whether to have a family and have kids. Or becoming financially independent and dedicating your life to a career. 
With la adultez (adulthood) more responsibilities appear. Financial commitments begin to arise, finding a place to live, and making ends meet becomes a priority.

As you get older and choose to become a parent or not, new changes also begin to appear in your body. You’re probably not as fit as you once were, you need to look for a healthier lifestyle and you need to take care of yourself, your body, and your emotions. Adults are more vulnerable and notice tiny details that can impact their mood, emotional, and physical state. It’s also at this point in life when you become sexually active to the fullest and begin exploring broader interests and finish defining your identity. 

As you advance towards middle age, you’ll begin to notice even more visible changes in your skin, body, hair, and mood. Staying active is key. 

Even if it seems like the years are passing; being an adult is fun and you have the freedom of choosing for yourself and calling the shots towards where you want to direct your life. This period is when you also reach your peak of productivity. 

Let’s examine adulthood vocabulary for you to practice your Spanish language skills.

Ser adulto es divertido, tomas tus propias decisiones. 
Being an adult is fun, you make your own decisions. 

Yo fui a la universidad y me gradué a principios de los veinte. 
I went to college and graduated in my early twenties. 

Cuando eres adulto debes pagar cuentas y tienes responsabilidades.
When you’re an adult you have to pay bills and have responsibilities. 

Mi papá inició su negocio cuando tenía treinta años.
My father started his business when he was thirty.

Me encanta ser soltera y viajar cuando quiero. 
I love being single and traveling whenever I want.

Mi meta a los cuarenta es comprar una casa.
My goal at forty is buying a house. 

Escogí mi carrera cuando tenía diecinueve años.
I chose my career when I was nineteen years old. 

Adulto mayor (Elderly)

El adulto mayor are senior people who further on become elderly. You become a senior citizen when you are pushing your early sixties. As you start getting older, you become an elder. 

At this point in life, aging becomes more evident and noticeable. Wrinkles may start to appear, along with gray hair. Staying active is even more challenging but required, and your body becomes harder to change or work on. 

Women enter menopause and start going through hormonal changes once again. This period of life comes with expertise in a variety of topics, you’ve been around, so you’re wiser, you can understand and solve things with greater efficiency. 

The majority of people at this age, whether they retire or continue working, all thrive for maintaining good health and being happy. This means maintaining a certain lifestyle that has allowed you to reach this advanced age, surrounded by loved ones, family, or friends.

As age keeps advancing, people around you also grow, which means friendships fade and people you know also move on. Health also deteriorates in many cases and chronic conditions may start to arise. 

Let’s examine Spanish vocabulary you can use to describe the stage of el adulto mayor. 

Me convertí en abuela a principios de mis sesenta años. 
I became a grandma in my early sixties. 

Estoy perdiendo el cabello, me voy a quedar calvo.
I’m losing my hair, I’m going bald. 

Estoy envejeciendo justo como quería. 
I’m growing old exactly how I wanted.

Me voy a retirar a los setenta y cinco años.
I will retire when I turn seventy five years old. 

Ya casi no me dan ganas de hacer ejercicio. 
I don’t feel like working out much.

Mi bisabuela tiene ochenta años.
My great grandma is eighty years old. 

La Muerte (Death)

The end of our journey in life is la muerte (death). This is a perfectly natural process each and every single person goes through. 

Death often occurs following a severe health condition or simply a decay in health.  Depending on whether you need extra special care or not, you will also notice physical symptoms that are a symbol you are reaching your final years. There’s loss of memory, confusion, loss of appetite, and other signs that are simply showing your body is beginning to shut down.

Your body isn’t as strong anymore and is reaching its limits; but it’s perfectly normal. The important thing is to have a dignified and comfortable last few years so you can make this transicion in the most comfortable painless way.

Let’s explore a set of Spanish vocabulary for culminating your knowledge of the stages of life in Spanish. 

Mi abuela tenía noventa años cuando falleció.
My grandma was ninety years old when she passed away.

Estaba enfermo de cáncer y murió.
He was sick with cancer and died.

El deseo de mi padre era que lo cremaran.
My father’s wish was that we cremate him.

Cuando murió mi abuelo, mi abuelita se quedó viuda.
When my grandpa died, my grandma became a widow. 

La muerte es un proceso natural.
Death is a natural process. 

Life is Beautiful in Different Stages!

Each of the stages of life in Spanish is worth looking forward to and fully embracing them. Along with each stage come changes you need to go through to gain experience and become wiser.

I trust after reading this blog post, you’re feeling more confident and ready to share the many life anecdotes and experiences you’ve had like a native, fluent, and advanced Spanish speaker. 

If you’d like to start sharing life stories in Spanish, you can sign up for a free trial class with our native Spanish-speaking teachers. No matter what stage of life you’re in, they’ll get you on the right track to becoming an advanced Spanish learner. 

Spanish opens a new world of opportunities if you’re looking to advance at a professional level. People who are bilingual are able to communicate with more people around the world and have better chances of landing a well paid cool job. 

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Sofía Godoy

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Native speaker of English and Spanish, I’m a sustainable travel and social impact entrepreneur who loves going to new places and meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds. I love spending time with my family and being outdoors with my dogs. Writing, communicating, and creating are my passions. I strongly believe there are more creative ways to solve the issues our world is facing and I like doing my part in any way I can.

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