vaca

/BAH-kah/

cow

A friendly, cartoon-style black and white spotted cow standing in a grassy meadow under a bright blue sky.

Vaca, meaning 'cow', is a common farm animal.

vaca(noun)

fA1

cow

farm animal

Also:

beef

meat from a cow (less common than 'carne de res')

📝 In Action

La vaca da leche fresca todas las mañanas.

The cow gives fresh milk every morning.

En la granja vimos un toro y muchas vacas pastando.

On the farm, we saw a bull and many cows grazing.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

leche de vaca – cow's milk
carne de vaca – beef (cow meat)

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Rule

Since 'vaca' refers to a female animal, it is a feminine noun and always uses the article 'la' or 'una'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Male Counterpart

Remember that the male counterpart (bull) is called 'toro'.

Multiple hands, representing different people, dropping shiny gold coins into a large, half-full glass jar, symbolizing a shared money collection.

Vaca can also mean a 'collection' of money gathered for a communal goal.

vaca(noun)

fB2

collection

money gathered for a shared purpose

kitty

shared fund

Also:

pot

money for a game or event

📝 In Action

Vamos a hacer una vaca para comprarle un regalo a Carlos.

We are going to start a collection (a kitty) to buy Carlos a gift.

Si todos ponemos diez euros, completamos la vaca para la cena.

If we all put in ten euros, we complete the pot for dinner.

Word Connections

Synonyms

bote (pot/collection)
colecta (collection/fundraiser)

Common Collocations

hacer una vaca – to start a collection/kitty
poner en la vaca – to put money into the pot

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'Hacer'

The most common way to use this meaning is with the verb 'hacer' (to do/make): 'hacer una vaca' means 'to organize a collection'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Key

This meaning is only used when talking about shared money for informal expenses (like food, gifts, or travel). Never use it for formal banking or taxes.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: vaca

Question 1 of 2

Which of these sentences uses 'vaca' in its informal meaning?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

toro(bull) - noun

ternero(calf) - noun

vacuno(bovine / relating to cows) - adjective

vaquero(cowboy) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I refer to the meat we eat?

While you can say 'carne de vaca,' it is much more common and neutral to say 'carne de res' (literally 'meat of cattle') when ordering or talking about beef.

If 'vaca' is a female cow, what is the word for a male cow?

The male cow (bull) is called 'toro'. If you are talking about cattle generally without specifying gender, you might use 'ganado' (livestock).