Inklingo

How to Say "doll" in Spanish

English → Spanish

muñeco

nounA1general
Use 'muñeco' for a general toy figure that is shaped like a person, regardless of its specific features or brand.

Examples

El niño perdió su muñeco favorito en el parque.

The boy lost his favorite doll/toy figure in the park.

barbie

bar-beeˈbaɾβi

nounA1general
Use 'barbie' specifically when referring to dolls that resemble the iconic fashion doll 'Barbie', often implying a similar aesthetic or size.
A plastic fashion doll with long blonde hair wearing a bright pink dress, standing against a simple blue background.

Examples

Mi sobrina siempre juega con su barbie favorita.

My niece always plays with her favorite Barbie.

¿Viste la nueva casa de la barbie en la tienda?

Did you see the new Barbie house in the store?

Tengo una colección de barbies de los años noventa.

I have a collection of Barbies from the nineties.

Gender and the Doll

In Spanish, 'barbie' is almost always feminine (la barbie) because it refers to a 'muñeca' (doll), which is a feminine word.

Making it Plural

To talk about more than one, simply add an 's' to the end: 'las barbies'. This follows the normal rule for words ending in a vowel.

The 'E' Trap

Mistake: “La barbi”

Correction: La barbie (always keep the 'e' at the end, even if you don't hear it clearly in some accents).

General vs. Specific Dolls

The most common mistake is using 'barbie' for any doll. Remember that 'barbie' is a specific brand and style, while 'muñeco' is the general term for a human-shaped toy figure.

Related Translations

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