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pollo

POH-yoh (The 'll' sounds like 'y' in most of Latin America and Spain)/ˈpoʝo/

“pollo” means “chicken” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:

chicken

Also: roast chicken, grilled chicken
NounmA1
A golden-brown roasted whole chicken resting on a white platter, prepared as a meal.

📝 In Action

Vamos a comprar un pollo entero para la cena.

A1

We are going to buy a whole chicken for dinner.

¿Prefieres el pollo frito o al horno?

A1

Do you prefer fried or baked chicken?

El menú del día incluye pollo con patatas.

A2

The daily menu includes chicken with potatoes.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • pechuga de pollo – chicken breast
  • pollo asado – roast chicken
  • caldo de pollo – chicken broth

chick

Also: young chicken
NounmA2
A tiny, fluffy yellow baby chick standing on a patch of bright green grass.

📝 In Action

El pollo salió del huevo ayer por la mañana.

A2

The chick came out of the egg yesterday morning.

La gallina está cuidando a sus pollos en el corral.

B1

The hen is looking after her chicks in the coop.

guy, young man

Also: boyfriend
NounmB1informal
SpainMexico/Central America
A casually dressed young man with short hair smiling brightly.

📝 In Action

Mira qué pollo más guapo está esperando el autobús.

B1

Look what a handsome guy is waiting for the bus. (Spain)

Mi hermana me presentó a su nuevo pollo el fin de semana.

B2

My sister introduced me to her new boyfriend/guy friend over the weekend. (Spain)

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • chico (boy/guy)
  • tío (guy/dude (Spain))

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pollo

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'pollo' in its slang meaning, common in Spain?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
polla(hen (animal) / slang for girl (Spain)) — Noun
pollito(little chick) — Noun
pollera(chicken seller / chicken coop) — Noun
pollería(poultry shop) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Late Latin word *pullus*, which simply meant 'young animal' or 'chick.' This origin highlights why 'pollo' refers to both the young animal and the meat we eat today.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: polloFrench: poulet

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Es 'pollo' siempre masculino?

Sí, 'pollo' es siempre masculino ('el pollo'). If you are talking about a female chicken, you use 'la gallina' (the hen).

¿Puedo usar 'pollo' para referirme a una chica?

No. When referring to a person, 'pollo' is only used for a young man or guy. The female equivalent is 'polla,' but beware: 'polla' is very vulgar slang in many parts of the Spanish-speaking world.