Learn Spanish (Latin America): El chico es chileno.

El chico es chileno.

The boy is Chilean.

Breakdown of El chico es chileno.

ser

to be

el chico

the boy (older / teenager)

chileno

Chilean

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Questions & Answers about El chico es chileno.

Why do we use es instead of está for "is" here?

The word es comes from the verb ser, which is used for core identity or permanent traits. Because nationality (being Chilean) is a fundamental part of who the boy is, we use es. The other verb for "to be" (estar) is used for temporary states or locations.

Why isn't chileno capitalized like "Chilean" is in English?

In Spanish, you do not capitalize words for nationalities or languages unless they are the very first word in a sentence.

If the sentence was about a girl, how would it change?

You would need to change the article, the noun, and the adjective to their feminine forms. The sentence would become La chica es chilena. Spanish adjectives for nationalities that end in -o change to -a when describing a female.

What is the difference between chico and niño?

Both words can mean "boy," but niño usually refers specifically to a young child. Chico is more flexible and can refer to a child, a teenager, or even a young adult, much like "kid" or "guy" in English.