Inklingo

How to Say "chick" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cría

nounA2general
Use 'cría' to refer to the young of any animal, including birds, when emphasizing its status as offspring or its vulnerable state.

Examples

La gallina empolla a su cría con cuidado.

The hen broods her chick carefully.

pollo

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

nounA2general
Use 'pollo' specifically for a baby chicken, especially when referring to the animal itself or for culinary purposes.
A tiny, fluffy yellow baby chick standing on a patch of bright green grass.

Examples

Vimos un pollito adorable en la granja.

We saw an adorable chick on the farm.

El pollo salió del huevo ayer por la mañana.

The chick came out of the egg yesterday morning.

La gallina está cuidando a sus pollos en el corral.

The hen is looking after her chicks in the coop.

nena

/NEH-nah//ˈnena/

nounB2informal
Use 'nena' as a very informal and affectionate term for a young girl or woman, similar to 'babe' or 'girl' in English.
A casually dressed young adult woman standing and smiling, holding a single coffee cup.

Examples

¡Hola, nena! ¿Qué tal te va?

Hey, girl! How's it going?

Oye, nena, ¿me pasas la sal?

Hey, girl, can you pass me the salt?

Tranquila, nena, no te preocupes, todo va a estar bien.

Calm down, honey, don't worry, everything will be fine.

Watch Your Tone!

Mistake: “Calling an older woman, a stranger, or a professional colleague 'nena'.”

Correction: Use 'señora', 'disculpe', or her name. 'Nena' can sound disrespectful or overly familiar with strangers or in formal settings. It's best to avoid this usage unless you know the person very well.

mina

MEE-nah/ˈmina/

nounC1colloquial
Use 'mina' as a colloquial and somewhat dated term, primarily in Argentina and Uruguay, to refer to an attractive young woman.
A bright, colorful illustration of a smiling young girl standing in a simple dress.

Examples

Esa mina es muy simpática.

That girl is very nice.

Qué buena mina, siempre tiene una sonrisa.

What a nice girl, she always has a smile. (Argentina/Uruguay)

¿Viste a la mina nueva que trabaja en la tienda?

Did you see the new girl working at the store? (Chile)

Slang Alert

This meaning is highly regional. Using 'mina' to mean 'girl' in Spain or Mexico will likely confuse people, as they prefer 'chica' or 'mujer'.

Context is Key

Mistake: “Using 'mina' in a formal setting (e.g., a business meeting) to refer to a professional woman.”

Correction: In formal settings, always use 'señorita' or 'mujer'. 'Mina' is reserved for casual conversation among friends.

Confusing baby animals with young women

The most common mistake is using terms like 'nena' or 'mina' when you intend to refer to a baby bird. Remember that 'cría' and 'pollo' are for young animals, while 'nena' and 'mina' are informal terms for young females.

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