pollo
/ˈpoʝo/masculine
The Spanish word for chicken is pollo.
The word pollo refers to both the living animal and the meat used in cooking, similar to the English word chicken.
Meaning: bird (noun)
Which one should you use?
While pollo is the most common and straightforward word for chicken, you can use Carne de pollo when specifically referring to chicken meat. The form Pollito is an affectionate and diminutive form of pollo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of pollo is pollos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpoʝo/
Did you know?
- In Spain, a pollo can be used metaphorically to describe a chaotic situation or a big fight, as in the phrase montar un pollo.
- The diminutive pollito is used not only for small chickens but also as a term of endearment for small children or even romantic partners in certain dialects.
- The word pollo comes from the Latin word pullus, which referred to a young animal rather than specifically a bird.
Examples in context
- 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 pollo nuggets.Tatoeba #4505690 by cueyayotl, translation #1933697 by Scott
- Me gusta el pollo asadoI like roast chicken
- Mi abuela prepara una deliciosa sopa de gallinaMy grandmother makes a delicious chicken soup
- Voy a comprar carne de pollo para la cenaI'm going to buy chicken meat for dinner
- Mira ese pollito tan lindoLook at that cute little chick
- Vamos a comer pollo frito esta nocheLet's have fried chicken tonight
- 86 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are looking at a farm.
- SofíaMira aquel pollo blanco.Look at that white chicken.
- MateoEs un pollo muy grande.It is a very large chicken.
- SofíaEl pollo corre por el campo.The chicken runs through the field.
- MateoParece un pollo muy feliz.He looks like a very happy chicken.
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.
