cría
/KREE-ah/
offspring
A mother duck with her young offspring.
cría(noun)
offspring
?general young of an animal
,baby animal
?specifically referring to the young
cub
?young of large predators like lions or bears
,chick
?young of birds
,nursling
?young still being fed by mother
📝 In Action
La leona protege a su cría de los depredadores.
A2The lioness protects her cub from predators.
Es una cría de apenas dos meses.
A2It is a baby animal only two months old.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Even if the baby animal is male, the word 'cría' is always feminine. You would say 'una cría' for both a male and female baby.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using it for humans
Mistake: "Calling a human baby 'una cría' in a formal setting."
Correction: Use 'bebé' or 'niño' instead. Using 'cría' for humans is very informal and can sometimes sound a bit rough or rural.
⭐ Usage Tips
Natural Sounding
Use 'cría' when you don't know the specific name for a baby animal (like calf or kitten). It's the perfect 'one-size-fits-all' word.
The act of breeding and caring for animals on a farm.
cría(noun)
breeding
?the business or act of producing animals
,rearing
?the process of raising young
upbringing
?less common, referring to raising children
📝 In Action
Mi abuelo se dedicaba a la cría de caballos.
B1My grandfather was dedicated to horse breeding.
La cría intensiva requiere mucha inversión.
B2Intensive rearing requires a lot of investment.
💡 Grammar Points
Noun vs. Verb
In this context, 'la cría' is the activity itself (the noun), usually followed by 'de' and the type of animal.
A person raising and taking care of a child.
cría(verb)
he/she/it raises
?taking care of children or animals
,you (informal) raise
?command form
📝 In Action
Ella cría a sus hijos con mucho amor.
A2She raises her children with a lot of love.
¡Cría fama y échate a dormir!
B2Create a reputation and then you can rest! (Idiom)
💡 Grammar Points
The Accent Mark
The 'í' in 'cría' has an accent mark to make sure you pronounce the 'i' and the 'a' as two distinct syllables. Without it, they would blend together.
Wait, no accent in the past?
Even though 'cría' has an accent, the 'I' forms in the past like 'crie' and 'crio' don't have them in modern spelling because they are short, single-sound words.
⭐ Usage Tips
Double Meaning
Remember that 'cría' can mean 'he raises' (a statement) OR 'raise!' (a command to a friend).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cría
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'cría' as a noun meaning 'offspring'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'cría' and 'cachorro'?
'Cría' is a general term for any baby animal (birds, fish, mammals). 'Cachorro' is usually used for dogs, or specifically for the young of large predators like bears, wolves, and lions.
Is it okay to call my child 'mi cría'?
It is very informal and sounds a bit like you are joking or being very 'earthy.' In most cases, it's better to use 'mi hijo' or 'mi niño'.