chica
/ˈt͡ʃika/
The Spanish word chica means girl or young woman.
chica is used to refer to a girl or a young woman. It can also be used as a casual vocative, such as saying ¡Chica! to mean "Hey, girl!" when trying to get a young woman's attention.
Which one should you use?
While chica refers to a girl or young woman, the word niña is typically used for a much younger child.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the informal word chava is often used instead of chica. In Argentina, the common informal alternative for a girl or gal is mina.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form of chica is chico (boy), and the plural form is chicas (girls).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃika/
Did you know?
- The adjective form of chica is also used to mean 'small' or 'little', meaning you can use the same word to describe both a young woman and the size of an object.
- Depending on the tone, ¡Chica! can be used as an exclamation of surprise or disbelief, similar to saying 'Girl, please!' or 'No way!' in English.
- In various Latin American dialects, chico and chica can be used as terms of endearment for romantic partners, functioning similarly to 'baby' or 'honey'.
Examples in context
- Esa chica es muy inteligente.That girl is very intelligent.
- La chica nueva es amable.The new girl is kind.
- Vi a una chica en el parque.I saw a girl in the park.
Example conversation
Javier and María are walking through a park.
- María¿Viste a la chica de la bicicleta?Did you see the girl with the bicycle?
- JavierNo, no vi a ninguna chica.No, I didn't see any girl.
- MaríaEs una chica muy simpática.She is a very nice girl.
- JavierAh, ya la veo ahora.Ah, I see her now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry chica, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
