hijo

Hijo is a masculine noun in Spanish that designates a male child in relation to his parents. It is used for biological offspring as well as in adoptive or figurative senses, and it appears in compounds such as hijo único (only child), hijo mayor (eldest son), hijo menor (youngest son), and hijo adoptivo (adoptive son). The feminine counterpart is hija, and the plural hijos can refer to sons or to children in mixed groups depending on context.

Etymology and orthography: The word derives from Latin filius. In the course of Spanish evolution, the initial f- of some words was lost, and the spelling h was retained in certain forms. Today the initial h is silent in standard Spanish pronunciation, while the written form persists as hijo.

Derivatives and related terms: Diminutives and related kin terms include hijito (little son), hijastra or hijastra (stepdaughter), hijastro (stepson), and hijado (godson). The forms hijada and hijado reflect the broader family and ceremonial contexts in which the base word is used, such as religious or ceremonial godparent relationships. Phrases like hijo único or hijo predilecto (favorite son) are common in everyday language.

Usage and connotations: In contemporary usage, hijo is a neutral, everyday term for a son. It can carry affectionate nuance in familial speech, and it appears frequently in literature, film, and proverbs. In some historical or informal contexts, it can be part of expressions with strong emotions or insults, but these usages are context-dependent and not inherent to the word itself.

In other languages, cognates exist with variations, such as “filho” in Portuguese or “son” in English.