gata
/ˈɡata/
In Spanish, "girl cat" is translated as gata.
The term gata refers specifically to a female cat.
Which one should you use?
Use gato to refer to a male cat and gata to refer to a female cat.
How does it change in a sentence?
gata is a feminine noun. Because of this, it is paired with the feminine definite article la (the female cat) or the feminine indefinite article una (a female cat). To talk about multiple female cats, use the plural form gatas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡata/
Did you know?
- In Madrid, people from the city are sometimes called gatos or gatas. This refers to those whose families have lived in the capital for generations, like cats that never leave their home.
- In Mexico, gata is used as a slang term to describe a person who performs menial or domestic work. It can be used as a derogatory label for a servant or someone of a lower social class.
- In certain Caribbean dialects, gata is used as slang to describe a woman who is considered very attractive.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo se llama tu gatita?What is your girl cat's name?
- Encontré una gata callejera cerca de casa.I found a stray girl cat near my house.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are talking about their pets.
- ElenaMira, esta es mi gata Luna.Look, this is my female cat Luna.
- AlejandroEs muy bonita, Elena.She is very pretty, Elena.
- ElenaSí, es una gata muy tranquila.Yes, she is a very calm female cat.
- AlejandroMe gustan mucho los gatos.I like cats a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gata, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
