perra
/PEH-rrah/
female dog
Illustrating perra meaning "female dog."
📝 In Action
Mi vecina tiene una perra muy amigable que se llama Luna.
A1My neighbor has a very friendly female dog named Luna.
La perra acaba de tener seis cachorros.
A2The dog just had six puppies.
💡 Grammar Points
Feminine Nouns
In Spanish, many nouns for people and animals have a male and a female version. 'Perra' is simply the female version of 'perro' (male dog). Just change the final '-o' to an '-a'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Referring to Dogs
When you're talking about a female dog, using 'perra' is completely normal and correct. It only becomes an insult when you use it to talk about a person.
Illustrating perra used as a highly offensive insult.
📝 In Action
Le dijo que era una perra solo porque no estaba de acuerdo con él.
C1He called her a bitch just because she didn't agree with him.
¡No seas perra y comparte las galletas!
B2Don't be a bitch and share the cookies!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using an Insult Casually
Mistake: "A learner trying to sound fluent might use 'perra' thinking it's a light or playful insult."
Correction: Avoid using this word to refer to people. It's a very strong, offensive word that can be much more hurtful than you intend. It's important to understand it when you hear it, but it's safest not to use it yourself.
⭐ Usage Tips
Warning: Strong Language
This is one of the most common and aggressive insults against women in Spanish, similar to 'bitch' in English. Be extremely careful with this word. Even when used 'jokingly' between friends, it can easily cause offense.
Illustrating perra meaning "awful" when describing a situation.
📝 In Action
Tuve una jaqueca perra todo el día de ayer.
B2I had a terrible migraine all day yesterday.
¡Qué vida más perra! Nada me sale bien.
B2What a miserable life! Nothing is going right for me.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
When used this way, 'perra' is an adjective and must match the gender of the thing it describes. For a feminine noun use 'perra' (una noche perra), and for a masculine noun use 'perro' (un día perro).
⭐ Usage Tips
Adding Emphasis
Think of this as a stronger way to say 'muy malo' (very bad). It's informal and adds a lot of negative emotion to what you're saying.
Illustrating perra meaning "pittance," or a very small amount of money.
perra(Noun)
pittance
?Figuratively, a very small amount of money
old coin
?Referring to old Spanish currency (e.g., 'perra gorda' or 'perra chica')
📝 In Action
Después de tanto trabajar, me pagaron cuatro perras.
C1After all that work, they paid me peanuts (four pennies).
No tengo ni una perra para comprar el pan.
C1I don't have a single dime to buy bread.
⭐ Usage Tips
Mostly in Sayings
You're unlikely to hear this meaning in everyday conversation unless it's part of a fixed expression like 'no tener ni una perra' or 'para ti la perra gorda'. It's a bit old-fashioned.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: perra
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'perra' to mean 'terrible' or 'awful'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it always offensive to say 'perra'?
No, not at all! If you are talking about a female dog, 'perra' is the correct and neutral word to use. It only becomes a very strong and offensive insult when you use it to describe a woman.
What's the difference between 'perro' and 'perra'?
It's about gender. 'Perro' refers to a male dog, or to dogs in general. 'Perra' specifically refers to a female dog. This male/female distinction is common for animals in Spanish (e.g., gato/gata for cats).
Why would an old coin be called a 'perra'?
It's a historical curiosity from Spain. Old 5 and 10 céntimo coins had a lion on them, but people thought it looked more like a dog ('perro'). The smaller coin was nicknamed 'perra chica' (little dog) and the larger one 'perra gorda' (fat dog). The name stuck!