Learn Spanish (Spain): El chico es moreno.

In Spanish, there are two verbs for "to be": ser and estar. We use es (which comes from ser) to describe permanent characteristics, like a person's basic physical appearance or hair color. We use estar for temporary states, like being tired or feeling sick.

Does the word moreno always mean dark-haired?

Not always! While it commonly means dark-haired or brunette, it can also mean dark-skinned or tanned depending on the context. If someone spends a lot of time at the beach, you might also describe them as moreno to say they got a tan.

How would this sentence change if we were describing a girl?

You need to make the words feminine so they agree with each other. The word El becomes la, chico becomes chica, and the describing word moreno changes its ending to become morena. The new sentence is: La chica es morena.