What does «adolescencia» mean in Spanish?
- Age that follows childhood. Adolescence is the transitional stage of development from child to adult. This time is identified with dramatic changes in the body, psychology and academic career. At the beginning of adolescence, children usually finish elementary school and enter secondary education, such as middle school or high school. During this period of life, most children go through the physical stages of puberty, which often begin before a person has reached the age of 13. Most cultures consider people to become adults at various ages of adolescence. Many cultures have a formal coming of age when adolescents formally become adults. In Western cultures, this age is usually marked by a birthday, e.g., turning eighteen.