cabrito
/kaˈbɾito/
The Spanish phrase for baby goat is cabrito.
The term cabrito refers to a young goat. It is used both to describe the living animal and as a culinary term when referring to kid meat.
Which one should you use?
You may encounter cabritillo for a more affectionate or informal tone or chivito in specific South American regions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, chivito can be used to refer to a baby goat.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the word plural, add '-s' to the end of the word to form cabritos.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈbɾito/
Did you know?
- If you travel to Uruguay and order a chivito, do not expect to be served goat. Although chivito can mean baby goat, it is most famously the name of a national sandwich made with beef.
- The word cabrito shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'capricious', which describes an unpredictable personality similar to a goat's behavior.
- The word cabrito is an example of how the Spanish diminutive suffix '-ito' actually changed the spelling of the original Latin root, turning a potential 'd' into a 't'.
Examples in context
- La granja tiene algunos cabritos muy lindos.The farm has some very cute baby goats.
- ¡Mira qué lindo cabritillo!Look at that cute baby goat!
- El cabrito salta en el campo.The baby goat jumps in the field.
- ¿Has visto al cabrito pequeño?Have you seen the little baby goat?
- Ese cabrito es muy juguetón.That baby goat is very playful.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are visiting a farm.
- LucíaDaniel, mira aquel cabrito blanco.Daniel, look at that white baby goat.
- DanielEs muy lindo y juguetón.It is very cute and playful.
- Lucía¿Podemos acariciar al cabrito?Can we pet the baby goat?
- DanielSí, creo que podemos.Yes, I think we can.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cabrito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cabrito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
