cría
/ˈkɾia/
The English phrase 'breeding' can be translated into Spanish as cría.
The term cría specifically refers to the act of raising an offspring until maturity. Depending on the context, other words may be more appropriate: crianza is a formal term used to refer to the act of breeding in general, encompassing the raising and nurturing of animals with the intention of reproduction, while reproducción is a term used in scientific or technical contexts to refer to the biological process of reproduction.
Meaning: act of inseminating by natural or artificial means (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cría refers to the act or the young, a criadero is the physical place where breeding occurs, such as a hatchery or a farm.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cría is crías, which can mean breedings or offspring.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɾia/
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, criado (the past participle of criar) historically referred to a servant or a domestic worker who was 'raised' within the household they served.
- While cría refers to breeding or offspring, the verb criar can also mean 'to grow' or 'to develop' in a non-biological sense, such as a habit 'growing' within a person.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the word cría is used as a colloquialism to refer to a child or a small person, much like calling someone 'kid' in English.
Examples in context
- Unos meses más tarde regresan a sus lugares de cría en el Ártico.A few months later they return to their breeding grounds in the Arctic.This sentence shows how to use cría when referring to breeding grounds.Tatoeba #3367906 by carlosalberto, translation #73021 by CK
- Se dedica a la crianza de ganado vacunoHe/she is dedicated to cattle breeding
- La cría de caballos es una actividad apasionanteBreeding horses is an exciting activity
- La reproducción asistida se utiliza en la ganaderíaAssisted reproduction is used in livestock farming
- Mi abuelo cría gallinas en el patioMy grandfather breeds chickens in the backyard
- Es hora de emparejar a los perros para la críaIt's time to mate the dogs for breeding
- La cría de ganado es su principal actividad.Livestock breeding is their main activity.
- Debemos mejorar los métodos de cría de este caballo.We must improve the breeding methods for this horse.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing livestock management at a farm.
- JavierMaría, ¿cuándo empezará la cría de las vacas?María, when will the breeding of the cows begin?
- MaríaJavier, empezaremos el proceso la próxima semana.Javier, we will start the process next week.
- Javier¿Usaremos inseminación para la cría este año?Will we use insemination for the breeding this year?
- MaríaSí, es la mejor opción para el ganado.Yes, it is the best option for the cattle.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cría, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
