How to Say "Chicken" in Spanish

pollo

/ˈpoʝo/masculine

The English word chicken is translated into Spanish as pollo.

pollo refers to the bird. In a formal sense, one might use the phrase Ave de corral to refer to chicken as a generic domestic fowl.

Meaning: bird (noun)

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Peru, Pollo a la brasa is used to refer to rotisserie-style chicken.

/ˈpoʝo/

While English uses 'chicken' to mean 'coward', Spanish speakers use gallina to express the same sentiment.
In Spain, the slang term pollo can refer to a messy situation or a loud argument, similar to the English phrase 'all hell broke loose'.
The term pollo comes from the Latin pullus, which originally meant any young animal regardless of species.

Me gusta el pollo.
I love chicken.
This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for pollo.
Tatoeba #1258417 by hayastan, translation #620111 by ulyssemc1
El pollo estaba seco.
The chicken was dry.
This sentence is useful for describing the texture of pollo.
Tatoeba #5012128 by Shishir, translation #5011515 by Hybrid
Comí deditos de pollo.
I ate chicken nuggets.
This sentence is useful for mentioning eating chicken nuggets containing pollo.
Tatoeba #4505690 by cueyayotl, translation #1933697 by Scott
Las gallinas ponen huevos.
Hens lay eggs.
¿Vamos a comer pollo asado hoy?
Are we going to eat roast chicken today?
¡Mira esos pollitos tan adorables en el corral!
Look at those adorable chicks in the coop!
Vamos a comprar un pollo a la brasa para la cena.
Let's buy a rotisserie chicken for dinner.
¡Quiero probar ese broaster de pollo!
I want to try that fried chicken!
86 more sentences on Tatoeba

Mateo and María are looking at animals on a farm.

Sources

Wiktionary, “chicken” translations and entries pollo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries pollo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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