pollo
/ˈpoʝo/masculine
The Spanish word for chicken is pollo.
The term pollo refers to the bird.
Meaning: bird (noun)
Which one should you use?
While pollo is the standard term for chicken as food, gallina specifically refers to a hen (the female bird).
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of pollo is pollos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpoʝo/
Did you know?
- The term pollo is used in the expression está hecho un pollo, which describes someone who is acting frantic or agitated.
- In some Latin American contexts, 'gallina' (hen) is used more frequently than 'pollo' to describe a person who is frightened or lacks courage.
- The word pollo comes from the Latin pullus, which originally meant any young animal, not just a bird.
Examples in context
- Me gusta el pollo.I love chicken.This sentence shows how to express 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 uses pollo to refer to chicken nuggets.Tatoeba #4505690 by cueyayotl, translation #1933697 by Scott
- Me encanta el sabor de la carne de ave.I love the taste of poultry.
- 86 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are at a farmer's market.
- Mateo¿Viste ese pollo en la granja?Did you see that chicken on the farm?
- ElenaNo, no vi ningún pollo.No, I didn't see any chicken.
- MateoEra un pollo muy grande.It was a very large chicken.
- ElenaPues, no me interesa ese pollo.Well, I'm not interested in that 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.
