Short answer
“cute” in Spanish is lindo
How to say cute in Spanish?
How to say cute in Spanish? The standard answer is lindo (masculine) or linda (feminine), which means cute, pretty or lovely. In Spain, people often say mono/mona for cute things, while bonito/bonita is closer to 'pretty' or 'nice'. Use lindo/linda for people, animals and objects in almost any Spanish-speaking country, and match the ending to the noun you are describing. The examples below show the most natural choices in different situations.
Common pairings
qué lindomuy lindolindo díaun lindo recuerdoniña linda
How to use it
- Use lindo/linda when you want a standard, universally understood way to call a person, animal or thing cute. It works in Latin America and Spain, though Spain often prefers bonito or mono in everyday speech.
- Match the adjective ending to the noun: lindo for masculine nouns, linda for feminine nouns, and lindos/lindas for plurals. The same rule applies to bonito/bonita and mono/mona.
- Bonito/bonita is closer to 'pretty' or 'nice' than 'cute', so it sounds natural for clothes, houses, weather and compliments where English might say nice rather than cute.
- Use mono/mona mainly when talking with Spaniards about babies, pets and small objects. Avoid it in most of Latin America, where mono often means monkey or fair-haired person.
Examples
¡Qué lindo está tu perrito!
Your little dog is so cute!
lindo agrees with the masculine noun perrito; this phrase is very common in Latin America.
Ella es una niña muy linda.
She is a very cute girl.
linda is the feminine form; change -o to -a to match feminine nouns.
Me encanta ese vestido, es muy bonito.
I love that dress, it's very pretty.
bonito means pretty or nice rather than cute, so it sounds natural for dresses, places and compliments.
¡Qué mono es el bebé!
That baby is so cute!
mono/mona is the everyday way to say cute in Spain, especially for babies and small things.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ella es muy |
Ella es muy linda. | Adjectives must agree with the noun. For a feminine subject, use linda, not lindo. |
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| El cachorro está bien |
El cachorro está bien lindo. | Using the English word cute sounds unnatural when lindo is the standard Spanish adjective. |
| Ese bebé es |
Ese bebé es lindo. | mono is correct in Spain, but in most of Latin America it means monkey. Use lindo for a safe, universal way to say cute. |
FAQ
- How to say cute in Spanish?The most common translation is lindo (masculine) or linda (feminine). For example: 'Tu perro es lindo' means 'Your dog is cute.'
- Is 'mono' a good translation for cute?In Spain, yes. Spaniards often say '¡Qué mono!' for something cute. In most Latin American countries, mono means monkey, so lindo is safer.
- Does lindo also mean handsome?It can. A parent might call their child lindo/linda, and a romantic partner can be lindo in the sense of lovely or sweet. For a strong 'handsome', use guapo.