Inklingo

How to Say "girls" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word forgirlsis chicasuse 'chicas' for a general, all-purpose term for a group of female children or young women, especially when the exact age isn't crucial..

chicas🔊A1

Use 'chicas' for a general, all-purpose term for a group of female children or young women, especially when the exact age isn't crucial.

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muchachas🔊A1

Use 'muchachas' specifically for groups of females who are clearly under the age of 20, often implying a slightly younger or more adolescent group than 'chicas'.

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señoritasA1

Use 'señoritas' to refer to young ladies or teens, often with a slightly more formal or polite connotation than 'chicas' or 'muchachas'.

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hijas🔊A1

Use 'hijas' only when referring to your own female children (daughters) or when addressing them informally, not for other groups of girls.

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minas🔊B1

Use 'minas' informally, primarily in certain regions, to refer to young women in a casual or slangy way, often implying attractiveness or coolness.

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viejas🔊B2

Use 'viejas' familiarly and informally among friends to refer to your female friends or a group of female companions, meaning 'my girls' or 'my pals'.

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English → Spanish

chicas

/CHEE-kahs//ˈtʃikas/

nounA1general
Use 'chicas' for a general, all-purpose term for a group of female children or young women, especially when the exact age isn't crucial.
A drawing of three young girls with bright clothing standing together and smiling in a sunny outdoor setting.

Examples

Las chicas están jugando en el parque.

The girls are playing in the park.

¡Hola, chicas! ¿Cómo estáis?

Hi, girls! How are you?

Voy a salir con unas chicas de la oficina.

I'm going out with some girls from the office.

Plural of 'chica'

'Chicas' is the plural form of 'chica' (girl). To make most Spanish words plural that end in a vowel, you just add an -s.

Referring to a Mixed Group

Mistake:Using 'chicas' to talk to a group of boys and girls.

Correction: For a mixed group, always use the masculine plural form: 'chicos'. For example, 'Hola, chicos' works for a group of all boys or a group of boys and girls.

muchachas

moo-CHAH-chas/muˈt͡ʃa.t͡ʃas/

nounA1general
Use 'muchachas' specifically for groups of females who are clearly under the age of 20, often implying a slightly younger or more adolescent group than 'chicas'.
A storybook illustration showing three smiling young girls standing side by side.

Examples

Las muchachas están esperando a la salida de la escuela.

The girls are waiting outside the school.

¡Hola, muchachas! ¿Cómo les fue el fin de semana?

Hello, young women! How was your weekend?

Un grupo de muchachas organizó una fiesta sorpresa.

A group of young women organized a surprise party.

Plural and Gender

This word is the plural form of 'muchacha' and is always feminine. This means that any words describing or referring to the 'muchachas' (like 'las' or an adjective) must also be feminine and plural.

Using the wrong article

Mistake:Los muchachas están aquí.

Correction: Las muchachas están aquí. Remember, 'muchachas' requires the feminine plural article 'las'.

señoritas

nounA1general/polite
Use 'señoritas' to refer to young ladies or teens, often with a slightly more formal or polite connotation than 'chicas' or 'muchachas'.

Examples

Las señoritas en la mesa de al lado estaban riendo mucho.

The young ladies at the next table were laughing a lot.

hijas

EE-hass/ˈixas/

nounA1familial/informal
Use 'hijas' only when referring to your own female children (daughters) or when addressing them informally, not for other groups of girls.
A storybook illustration showing two young girls standing together and smiling.

Examples

Mis hijas ya tienen veinte años.

My daughters are already twenty years old.

Ella tiene dos hijas y un hijo.

She has two daughters and one son.

Las hijas de mi vecina estudian música.

My neighbor's daughters study music.

Feminine Plural

This word is the plural form of the singular noun 'hija' (daughter). Since 'hija' ends in a vowel ('a'), we add an '-s' to make it plural: 'hijas'.

Gender Consistency

Since 'hijas' is a feminine plural noun, any adjectives or articles used with it must also be feminine and plural (e.g., 'Mis hijas' / 'Las hijas').

Confusing Gender Plurals

Mistake:Using 'hijos' when referring only to female children.

Correction: 'Hijos' (with an 'o') means 'sons' or 'children' (mixed gender group). Use 'hijas' (with an 'a') only when referring specifically to daughters.

minas

MEE-nahs/ˈminas/

nounB1informal/slang
Use 'minas' informally, primarily in certain regions, to refer to young women in a casual or slangy way, often implying attractiveness or coolness.
A simple storybook illustration showing two smiling young women standing side-by-side on a sunny day.

Examples

¡Viste a esas minas en el concierto? ¡Qué buena onda!

Did you see those girls at the concert? They were really cool!

¿Viste a esas minas en el concierto? ¡Qué buena onda!

Did you see those girls at the concert? They were really cool!

Todas las minas de mi clase están estudiando mucho para el examen.

All the women in my class are studying hard for the exam.

Plural Noun

This is the plural form of the noun 'mina' (meaning 'girl' in this context). It's used just like 'chicas' or 'mujeres'.

Using Slang Universally

Mistake:Using 'minas' in formal settings or outside of the Southern Cone/Andean regions.

Correction: Use 'chicas' or 'mujeres' when traveling outside of countries like Argentina or Chile, or in professional situations.

viejas

vee-EHH-hahs/ˈbje.xas/

nounB2informal/familiar
Use 'viejas' familiarly and informally among friends to refer to your female friends or a group of female companions, meaning 'my girls' or 'my pals'.
A colorful illustration of three young female friends sitting around a small table, laughing and enjoying a snack together.

Examples

Voy a salir con mis viejas esta noche.

I'm going out with my girls/pals tonight.

¿Dónde están las viejas? Llevan horas de retraso.

Where are the girls? They are hours late.

Possessive Use

This slang meaning is almost always used with a possessive word, like 'mis' (my) or 'tus' (your), to show close connection: 'mis viejas'.

General vs. Specific Terms

The most common mistake is using 'chicas' when a more specific term like 'hijas' (daughters) or 'muchachas' (younger girls) is appropriate. Always consider the age and relationship to the group you are describing.

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