Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gallinejas | /ɡaʝiˈnexas/ | Spain, feminine, plural |
| chunchules | /t͡ʃunˈt͡ʃules/ | Chile, masculine, plural, usually |
| chunchullo | /t͡ʃunˈt͡ʃuʝo/ | masculine |
| chunchurria | /t͡ʃunˈt͡ʃurja/ | feminine |
| choncholí | /t͡ʃont͡ʃoˈli/ | masculine |
| chunchulí | /t͡ʃunt͡ʃuli/ (from spelling rules) | Peru, masculine |
| chunchuli | /t͡ʃunt͡ʃuli/ (from spelling rules) | Argentina, masculine |
| chunchulín | /t͡ʃunt͡ʃulin/ (from spelling rules) | South America, masculine |
The term refers to small pig intestine, boiled and fried.
Which one should you use?
The term gallinejas is the specific form used in Spain, whereas several other forms are used in various parts of South and Central America. In many Latin American countries, particularly in Central America, the informal term chunchules is common. In South American regions such as Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, the informal term chinchulines is also used. Additionally, the word callos is used to describe chitterlings in Spain and certain Latin American countries.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, use gallinejas. In Chile, use chunchules. In Peru, use chunchulí. In Argentina, use chunchuli. In Colombia, some regions use the term chunchurrias. In various parts of South America, you may also encounter chunchulín.
How does it change in a sentence?
gallinejas is a feminine plural noun. For the South American variations, chunchullo is the singular form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡaʝiˈnexas/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the term gallinejas literally translates to 'little hens', which might confuse a diner expecting poultry instead of pig intestines.
- In Argentina, chunchulis are a staple of the asado barbecue. Unlike the meat, they are often grilled on a separate skewer or in a special tray to prevent them from falling through the grill grates.
- The word callos is often used interchangeably with gallinejas in some regions, but strictly speaking, callos refers to tripe, which is the lining of the stomach rather than the intestines.
Examples in context
- ¡Me encantó el guiso de tripas de cerdo que probé en ese restaurante!I loved the pig intestines stew I tried at that restaurant!
- Vamos a hacer unos chunchules a la parrilla para la cena de hoy.Let's grill some chitterlings for dinner today.
- En Colombia, a veces le llaman chunchurrias a las tripas de cerdo.In Colombia, chitterlings are sometimes called chunchurrias.
- Las gallinejas están deliciosas con pan.The chitterlings are delicious with bread.
- Quiero comer gallinejas en la cena.I want to eat chitterlings for dinner.
- Ellas prepararon unas gallinejas muy buenas.They prepared some very good chitterlings.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are at a traditional Spanish restaurant.
- Mateo¿Vas a pedir las gallinejas?Are you going to order the chitterlings?
- SofíaSí, me encantan las gallinejas de este sitio.Yes, I love the chitterlings from this place.
- MateoEntonces yo pediré un plato de jamón.Then I will order a plate of ham.
- SofíaPerfecto, así compartimos varios platos.Perfect, that way we can share several dishes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chitterlings” translations and entries gallinejas, chunchules, chunchullo, chunchurria, choncholí, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
