English word people can be translated as personas or gente according to a situation. The word gente is used
with groups of people seen as a mass, while the word persona suggests an individuality of each one. Compare:
En Madrid hay mucha gente – There are many people in Madrid
La gente
en España es muy abierta – People in Spain are very open
Las personas somos diferentes –
People are different (that means that each person is special)
Please, pay attentiont to the fact that gente is singular!
A baby in Spain is un bebé. Like in English, it can be a boy or a girl. To know a gender just ask:
¿Es niño o niña? – Is it a boy or a girl?
About 10-12 years old los niños become chicos y chicas.
These words are used till people are 45-50, with children grown up and a very respectable appearance. At that age people become señoras and señores.
The words hombre (man) and mujer (woman) are used to specify or emphasize the gender:
Las mujeres viven más que los hombres –
Women live more than men
The word mujer in Spanish of Spain can mean woman and wife. In Latin America it has only the first meaning, woman, and for the wife you should use the word esposa.