peques

Peques is a colloquial Spanish noun used to refer affectionately to young children, typically preschoolers. The term is the plural form of a diminutive of “pequeño,” and is used as an informal, friendly way to address or describe small, young people.

Usage and context

Peques is widely used in Spain and Latin America in family settings, nurseries, schools, and media aimed at children or parents. It carries connotations of warmth, playfulness, and endearment, and is generally applied to both boys and girls. It is more common in informal speech and is less likely to appear in formal writing, where “niños” or “infantes” would be used.

Examples and nuance

People might say “los peques están jugando” to mean “the little ones are playing,” or address a group of children as “¿cómo están los peques?” The term typically refers to younger children within early childhood or early elementary ages, rather than teenagers.

Related forms

Related terms include “peque,” the singular affectionate form, and “pequeño” in its standard, formal usage. The word appears in family blogs, parenting magazines, children's programming, and social media as a friendly label for a group of kids.