Learn Spanish (Latin America): Ese muchachito es mi primo.

To make a word diminutive (to show it is small or to sound affectionate), we drop the final -o or -a and add -ito or -ita. Since muchacho (boy) ends in -o, we drop it and add -ito to make muchachito (little boy).

Why is it Ese instead of Eso for "that"?

Ese is the masculine singular word for "that" when it describes a specific masculine noun, like muchachito. Eso is a neutral word used for abstract ideas or unknown objects (like saying "What is that?"), so it is never placed directly in front of a noun.

Why do we use es instead of está?

We use the verb ser (which gives us es) for identity and family relationships. Since being a cousin is a fixed relationship, we use es. The verb estar (está) is mostly used for temporary states, feelings, or locations.

Does muchachito always mean the boy is physically small?