Hijo vs. niño
In the Spanish language, hijo and niño are two distinct words that refer to two different yet somewhat overlapping concepts. The distinction between them lies in their specific definitions and their usage context.
Hijo
A1Hijo specifically translates to son in English. It is often used to express a direct familial relationship between a parent and their male child.
Mi hijo está en la escuela.
(My son is at school.)
Él es el hijo de María.
(He is Maria's son.)
Tienes un hijo muy inteligente.
(You have a very intelligent son.)
Niño
A1Niño, on the other hand, translates to boy in English. This term broadly refers to a young male human, not necessarily indicating a familial relationship.
El niño está jugando en el parque.
(The boy is playing in the park.)
Ese niño es muy educado.
(That boy is very polite.)
Los niños están aprendiendo español.
(The boys are learning Spanish.)
Summary
Hijo and niño are both Spanish terms referring to young males, but hijo indicates a parent-child relationship while niño is a general term for a young boy without specifying any familial ties. Though they can occasionally be used interchangeably - say, when you call someone else's son a niño, these words underscore different aspects according to their inherent distinction.