pollo
/ˈpoʝo/masculine
The Spanish word for chicken is pollo.
In a culinary context, pollo is used to refer to both the living animal and the meat served as food.
Meaning: bird (noun)
Which one should you use?
While pollo refers to the bird or the meat, the word gallina specifically refers to a hen.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain and Latin America, the word gallina is used especially when referring to a mature hen. In Spain, the term picantón is used to refer to a small chicken, usually around four weeks old.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of pollo is pollos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpoʝo/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, calling a person gallina is a common way to call them a coward.
- The word pollo descends from the Latin word pullus, which originally meant any young animal, not just a bird.
- Despite the similarity in sound, pollo is completely unrelated to the word poyo, which refers to a stone bench.
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 describes the texture of the pollo.Tatoeba #5012128 by Shishir, translation #5011515 by Hybrid
- Comí deditos de pollo.I ate chicken nuggets.This sentence uses pollo in the context of chicken nuggets.Tatoeba #4505690 by cueyayotl, translation #1933697 by Scott
- Me gustaría ordenar el pollo asado.I would like to order roasted chicken.
- En la granja de mi tío criamos pollos.At my uncle's farm, we rear chickens.
- La gallina puso huevos en el gallinero.The hen laid eggs in the chicken coop.
- 86 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are at a local farm.
- AlejandroMira ese pollo blanco.Look at that white chicken.
- ElenaEs un pollo muy bonito, Alejandro.It is a very pretty chicken, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¿Ese es el pollo de la granja?Is that the chicken from the farm?
- ElenaSí, es un pollo muy grande.Yes, it is a very large 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.
