| Compound Forms: |
WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2026:
| a little adj | (small amount) | un poco nm |
| | I just want a little salt on my potatoes. |
| | Sólo quiero un poco de sal en mis patatas. |
| a little adv | (slightly) | ligeramente adv |
| | She was a little angry with me. |
| | The doctor says your blood pressure is a little high. |
| | Ella estaba ligeramente molesta conmigo. // El doctor dice que tu presión sanguínea está ligeramente alta. |
| a little adv | (slightly) | un poco loc adv |
| | | algo adv |
| | I am a little drunk, but in no way incapacitated. |
| | Estoy un poco bebido, pero de ningún modo en estado de ebriedad. |
| | Estoy algo tomado, pero no ebrio. |
| a little n | (a small amount) | un poco nm |
| | Chocolate? I'll just have a little. |
| | ¿Chocolate? Sólo un poco. |
| a little n | (short time) | un rato nm |
| | | un poco nm |
| | I'll be there in a little. |
| | Estaré allí en un rato. |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Me quedaré un poco más. |
a little bird told me,
a little bird told me that,
I heard from a little bird that expr | figurative, informal (secret source told me) (AmL) | me lo dijo un pajarito, me lo contó un pajarito expr |
| | (AmL) | un pajarito me dijo que, un pajarito me contó que expr |
| | (ES) | me lo ha dicho un pajarito, me lo ha contado un pajarito expr |
| | (ES) | un pajarito me ha dicho que, un pajarito me ha contado que expr |
| a little bit n | informal (small amount) (coloquial) | un poquitín nm |
| | | una pizca nf |
| | | un pelín nm |
| | There wasn't enough salt in the soup so I added a little bit. Could I please have a little bit of cheese? |
| | La sopa no tenía suficiente sal así que agregué un poquitín. |
| a little bit adv | informal (slightly) | un poco, un poquito adv |
| | | un pelín nm |
| | I'm just a little bit dizzy. It was a little bit cheeky of me to ask … but I asked anyway. |
| | Estoy un poco mareado. |
| a little more n | (a small additional quantity) | un poco más loc adv |
| | I already added salt to the potatoes, but I think they could use a little more. |
| | A éste ponle un poco más, está medio vacío. |
| a little more adj | (slightly more) | un poco más loc adv |
| | May I have a little more tea, please? |
| | ¿Puedo tomar un poco más de té, por favor? |
| a little more adv | (for a short while longer) | un poco más loc adv |
| | The girl asked her mother if she could continue playing outside a little more. |
| | La niña preguntó a su mamá si podía seguir jugando afuera un poco más. |
| a little more adv | (slightly more often) | un poco más loc adv |
| | You need to exercise a little more if you want to get fit. |
| | Debes ejercitarte un poco más si quieres estar en forma. |
| a little thing n | informal ([sth] trivial) | una insignificancia nf |
| | (AR, coloquial) | una pavada nf |
| | | una cosa menor |
| | I know it's just a little thing, but I find the constant tapping of your foot annoying. |
| | Sé que es una insignificancia, pero me molesta el taconeo de tus zapatos. |
| a nice little earner n | UK, slang ([sth] which generates income) | fuente de ingresos loc nom f |
| | (figurado) | mina de oro loc nom f |
| | I'm setting up a website to sell my photos; it should be a nice little earner. |
| as little as expr | (a quantity as small as) (cantidad) | tan poco como loc prep |
| | | tan chico como, tan pequeño como loc adv |
| | As little as 2 grammes of it is enough to kill you. |
| | Tan poco como dos gramos alcanzan para matarte. |
| | Una dosis tan chica como dos gramos alcanza para matarte. |
| | | con apenas loc adv |
| | Con apenas dos gramos puedes morir. |
| | | apenas adv |
| | Apenas dos gramos bastan para matarte. |
| Bless your little cotton socks interj | informal (affection, endearment) | bendito seas loc interj |
| little bugger n | vulgar, potentially offensive, informal, UK (annoying child) | mocoso, mocosa nm, nf |
| | (MX: coloquial) | escuincle, escuincla nm, nf |
| | (AR: vulgar) | pendejo, pendeja nm, nf |
| | (CR: vulgar) | mierdoso, mierdosa nm, nf |
| | Did you see that little bugger who ran down the hall? |
| | ¿Has visto a ese mocoso que corría por el pasillo? |
| little bugger n | vulgar, potentially offensive, informal (affectionate term: boy, animal) | criatura nf |
| | (MX: coloquial; persona) | chamaco nm |
| | (CO: coloquial; persona) | pelado nm |
| | (VE: coloquial, persona) | chamo nm |
| | Look at this possum; he's a cute little bugger, isn't he? |
| | Mira esta zarigüeya: es una criatura adorable, ¿a que sí? |
bundle of joy,
little bundle of joy n | informal (baby) | bebé nm |
| cost little v expr | (be inexpensive) | costar poco, costar barato loc verb |
| | A first aid kit costs little but can save lives. |
| | Un botiquín de primeros auxilios está regalado pero puede salvar vidas. |
| | | estar barato, ser barato loc verb |
| | Un botiquín de primeros auxilios está barato pero puede salvar vidas. |
| | (AR) | estar regalado loc verb |
| | | estar tirado loc verb |
| | Un botiquín de primeros auxilios está regalado pero puede salvar vidas. |
| cost little v expr | figurative (require little effort) | no costar nada loc verb |
| | It costs little to be polite. |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. No te costaba nada darle la razón y evitar la discusión. |
| do very little business v expr | (have few commercial dealings) | hacer poco negocio loc verb |
| | | mover poco negocio loc verb |
for a little while,
a little while adv | (for a short time) | un rato loc adv |
| | (informal) | un ratito loc adv |
| | I'll stay for a little while, if you don't mind. |
| | We'll have to wait for a little while before the train comes. |
| | Me quedaré un rato, si no te molesta. |
| | | un momento loc adv |
| | (informal) | un momentito loc adv |
| | Me quedaré un momento, si no te molesta. |
| | (formal) | un corto tiempo, por un corto tiempo loc adv |
| | (formal) | por un breve momento loc adv |
| | Me quedaré por un corto tiempo, si no te molesta. |
great oaks from little acorns grow,
mighty oaks from little acorns grow expr | figurative (great things have modest beginnings) | el árbol mas altanero, débil tallo fue primero expr |
| have a little talk v expr | informal (discuss [sth] sensitive) | tener una pequeña conversación loc verb |
| | | tener una charla loc verb |
| | | tener unas palabras loc verb |
| | Young lady, I think it's time you and I had a little talk. |
| | Señorita, creo que es tiempo de que tú y yo tengamos una pequeña conversación. |
| have little in common v expr | (have few similarities or shared interests) | tener poco en común vtr |
| | The rich have little in common with the poor. |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. La familia de la novia tiene poco en común con la del novio. |
have no stomach for [sth],
have little stomach for [sth] v expr | figurative (lack appetite, courage for [sth]) | no tener ganas de loc verb |
| | John had little stomach for the task at hand. |
| | Juan no tenía ganas de trabajar. |
| have little to say v expr | (speak little) | no decir mucho loc verb |
| | | no tener mucho que decir, no tener gran cosa que decir loc verb |
| | His teacher had little to say about the incident. |
| | La maestra no dijo mucho sobre el incidente. |
| | La maestra no tenía mucho que decir sobre el incidente. |
| in a little bit adv | informal (soon) | en un ratito loc adv |
| | Please set the table because dinner will be ready in a little bit. |
| | Pongan la mesa, la comida estará lista en un ratito. |
| in a little while adv | (soon) | en un rato loc adv |
| | | dentro de poco loc adv |
| | Olivia said that she would be there in a little while. |
| | Olivia dijo que estaría allí en un rato. |
| in little expr | (on small scale) | a pequeña escala loc adv |
| in your own little world adj | informal, figurative (oblivious to others) | en tu mundo, en tu propio mundo loc adv |
just shy of,
a little shy of prep | (slightly under) | rozando gerundio |
| | The price of oil is now just shy of $50 a barrel. |
| | El barril de petróleo está rozando los $50. |
| | | casi adv |
| | El barril de petróleo está casi los $50. |
| little angel n | (child: well-behaved) (figurado) | angelito nm |
| | | ángel nm |
| Note: Diminutivo de ángel. Normalmente usado para referirse a los niños que se comportan bien. |
| | The children were little angels right through the ceremony. |
| | My daughter's been such a good girl today - she's a little angel. |
| | Los niños se portaron como angelitos durante la ceremonia. |
| little beggar n | figurative, informal, euphemism (child: annoying) (un niño) | pequeño fastidioso, pequeña fastidiosa nm, nf + adj |
| | | niño molesto, niña molesta nm, nf + adj |
| | Kyle told the kid to leave him alone, but the little beggar wouldn't back off. |
| | Kyle le dijo al niño que lo deje en paz, pero el pequeño fastidioso no se iba. |
| little bite n | informal (snack, light meal) | tentempié nm |
| | (informal) | algo para picar loc prnl |
| little boy n | (young male child) | niño pequeño nm + adj |
| | | crío nm |
| | | nene nm |
| | | pequeño, pequeñuelo nm |
| | The little boy was playing with a toy horse. |
| | I've known you ever since you were a little boy! |
| | ¡Te conozco desde que eras un niño pequeño! |
| | | muchachito nm |
| | | chiquillo nm |
| | (AR) | pibe, pibito nm |
| | (AmL) | chiquito nm |
| little brother n | (younger male sibling) | hermano pequeño nm + adj |
| | | hermano menor nm + adj |
| | | hermanito nm |
| | I have one big sister and two little brothers. |
| | Tengo una hermana mayor y dos hermanos pequeños. |
| little by little adv | (gradually, a bit at a time) | poco a poco loc adv |
| | Add the sugar little by little and your meringue will be perfect. |
| | He became better at tennis little by little. |
| | Vaya agregando el azúcar poco a poco y el merengue le quedará perfecto. |
| little chance n | (hardly any possibility) | pocas chances adj + nfpl |
| | | pocas posibilidades adj + nfpl |
| | | escasas probabilidades adj + nfpl |
| | There's little chance of our old car making such a long journey. |
| | The doctors said he was in a coma and had little chance of recovery. |
| | Hay pocas chances de que nuestro viejo auto haga un viaje tan largo. |
| little chance n | (hardly any opportunity) | pocas oportunidades nfpl |
| | (ES, coloquial) | tenerlo crudo loc verb |
| little choice n | (lack of alternatives) | pocas alternativas loc nom fpl |
| little darling n | (sweet or well-behaved child) | monada nf |
| | | ricura nf |
| | Her three-year old's so cute – she's a little darling. |
| | Su hija de tres años es tan linda; ¡es una monada! |
| little darling n | usually plural, ironic (child) (informal, irónico) | bendición n común |
| | | niño, niña nm, nf |
| | I wish your sister would take her little darlings home – they're driving me mad. |
| little devil n | figurative, informal (naughty child) | pequeño demonio expr |
| | | tunante n común |
| | My brother was a little devil when he was young. |
| | Mi hermano era un pequeño demonio cuando era chico. |
little did [sb] know,
little did [sb] know that expr | (the person did not know) | no imaginarse que loc verb |
| | | no tener idea que, no tener ni idea que loc verb |
| | | no saber que loc verb |
| the Little Dipper n | US, informal (part of constellation Ursa Minor) | Osa Menor n propio f |
| | The Little Dipper is found in the constellation Ursa Minor. |
| little egret n | (small heron) | garceta común nf + adj mf |
| little extra n | often plural, informal (bonus, additional feature) | algo más pron + adj |
| | | un extra nm |
that little extra,
that little bit extra n | informal (additional effort) | un poco más grupo nom |
| | | un esfuerzo más grupo nom |
| | He always puts in that little extra in order to make his projects a success. |
| little fellow n | informal (small man) | tipo bajito nm |
| Note: Si se tienen dudas (por ejemplo si no se sabe si el tipo bajito es el amante de su madre) es mejor decir "señor bajito". |
| | Who is that little fellow standing next to your mother? |
| | ¿Quién es ese tipo bajito que está al lado de tu madre? |
| | (pey) | enano nm |
| | No sé qué le ve a ese enano para salir con él. |
| | (Argentina, pey) | petiso adj |
| | ¿Y al petiso ese, quién lo invitó? |
| little fellow n | informal (boy) | amiguito nm |
| | Quédate aquí, amiguito. Iré a buscar a tu madre. |
| little finger n | (smallest digit of the hand) | meñique nm |
| | | dedo meñique loc nom m |
| | I broke my little finger playing cricket last week. |
| | The ring's too small for my ring finger so I wear it on my little finger. |
| | Me rompí el meñique jugando al cricket la semana pasada. |
| little game n | (deceitful plan, scheme) (desaprobación) | jueguito, jueguecito nm |
| | (desaprobación) | juego nm |
| | I'm tired of all your little games – why can't you just be honest for once? |
| | Estoy cansada de tus jueguecitos. ¿Por qué no puedes ser honesto por una sola vez? |
| | (desaprobación) | tejemaneje nm |
| | (desaprobación) | artimañas nfpl |
| | (desaprobación) | tretas nfpl |
| little girl n | (young female child) | niña nf |
| | | nena nf |
| | | niñita nf |
| | | chiquilla nf |
| | The little girl was jumping in puddles. |
| | When I was a little girl I loved to play with dolls. |
| | Cuando era una niña, me encantaba jugar a las muñecas. |
| little guy n | informal (small boy) (informal, niño) | chiquitín, pequeñín, chavalín nm |
| | | niño pequeño grupo nom |
| little guy n | informal (short man) (informal, hombre) | pequeñín, bajito nm |
| little house n | AU, NZ, euphemism (toilet outside a house) | baño fuera de la casa nm + loc adj |
| little kid n | informal (young child) | chico, chica nm, nf |
| | (ES, coloquial) | chaval, chavala nm, nf |
| | (AR, coloquial) | pibe, piba nm, nf |
| | I used to play marbles a lot when I was a little kid. |
| | Jugaba mucho a las canicas cuando era chico. |
little known,
little-known adj | (not very famous) | ignoto/a adj |
| | | poco conocido loc adj |
| Note: A hyphen used when the term is an adjective before the noun |
| | We spent the summer in a cabin on a little-known island off the coast of Greece. |
| | She was a little-known actress before getting her big break. |
| | Pasamos el verano en una cabaña en una isla ignota frente a la costa de Grecia. |
little known,
little-known adj | (poorly realised or understood) | poco conocido loc adj |
| Note: A hyphen is used when the term is an adjective before the noun. |
| | It's a little-known fact that I'm actually a very good cook. |
| | Es un hecho poco conocido, pero en realidad soy un excelente cocinero. |
| | | pocos saben expr |
| | Pocos saben que en realidad soy un excelente cocinero. |
| little man n | (term of affection: boy) | jovencito nm |
| | | hombrecito nm |
| | (ES) | chaval, chavalote nm |
| | Hey, little man! - let's have a talk. |
| | ¡Ven jovencito! Tengo que hablar contigo un momento. |
| little monkey n | figurative (mischievous child) (ES) | bicho, bicha nm |
| | | monito, monita nm |
| | | pícaro, pícara nm, nf |
| | We often refer to our two-year old as "little monkey”. |
| | Siempre llamamos "bicho" a nuestro hijo de dos años. |
| | Siempre le decimos "monito" a nuestro hijo de dos años. |
| | Siempre llamamos "pícaro" a nuestro hijo de dos años. |
| little one n | (affectionate term: small child) | pequeño, pequeña nm, nf |
| | Eight o'clock is bedtime for the little one. |
| | | niño, niña nm, nf |
| little ones npl | (small chlidren) (coloquial) | peques nmpl |
| | Be quiet! The little ones are napping! |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Solo traigo regalos para los peques. |
| | (AR) | chicos nmpl |
| | ¡Silencio! Los chicos están durmiendo. |
| | | niños nmpl |
| little opportunity n | (hardly any chance) | escasas oportunidades adj + nfpl |
| | | pocas oportunidades adj + nfpl |
| | In some places, there's little opportunity for work so unemployment is high. |
| | En algunos lugares hay escasas oportunidades de trabajo, así que el desempleo es alto. |
| little or no adj | (hardly any) | poco o ninguno expr |
| | I haven't done any revising so there's little or no chance of me passing the exam. |
| | No pude repasar nada, así que hay pocas o ninguna posibilidad de que apruebe el examen. |
| little owl | (bird) | mochuelo europeo loc nom m |
| little people npl | (imaginary creatures) (mitología) | gente pequeña nf + adj |
| little people npl | (the common people, workers) | gente común nf + adj mf |
| little people npl | (midgets or dwarfs) (eufemismo) | gente pequeña nf + adj |
| little people npl | (small children) | niños nmpl |
| | (informal) | pequeños nmpl |
| little person n | (short due to genetic condition) (estatura) | persona pequeña nf + adj |
| little person n | figurative (lacking money, power) (coloquial) | pobre diablo, pobre diabla loc nm, loc nf |
| | (peyorativo) | persona insignificante nf + adj mf |
| little poppet n | UK, informal (sweet-natured child) (niño) | ricura, dulzura nf |
| | | encanto nm |
| little rascal n | informal (cheeky or mischievous child) (fam) | diablito nm |
| | Carlitos es todo un diablito. Hace travesuras todo el día. |
| | | mocoso mal educado nm |
| | (fam) | pícaro nm |
| | El menor es un pícaro, basta que me dé vuelta para que me haga una travesura. |
| Little Rock | (geography) | Little Rock n propio f |
| little scamp n | informal (mischievous child) | pícaro, pícara nm, nf |
| | | bribón, bribona nm, nf |
| | (coloquial) | diablillo, diablilla nm, nf |
| | My nephew is such a little scamp; I'm exhausted after babysitting him for an afternoon! |
| | Mi sobrino es un pícaro: quedo agotada después de cuidarlo toda la tarde. |
| little scamp n | informal (playful animal) | animal juguetón nm + adj |
| | | animal travieso nm + adj |
| | Ramona named the little scamp Spot. |
| | Ramona le puse "Spot" al animal juguetón. |
| little sister n | (younger female sibling) | hermanita nf |
| | | hermana menor nf + adj mf |
| | | hermana pequeña nf + adj |
| | My little sister was born three years after me. |
| | I have a big brother and a little sister. |
| | Mi hermanita nació tres años después que yo. |