muchacha
/muˈt͡ʃat͡ʃa/feminine
The English word girl is translated into Spanish as muchacha. Wiktionary also lists niña and chica.
Meaning: young female person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| muchacha | /muˈt͡ʃat͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| niña | /ˈniɲa/ | feminine |
| chica | /ˈt͡ʃika/ | feminine |
| cabra | /ˈkabɾa/ | Chile, feminine |
| chamaca | /t͡ʃaˈmaka/ | Mexico, feminine |
| lola | /ˈlola/ | Argentina, Chile, Spain, feminine |
| nena | /ˈnena/ | Argentina, feminine |
| chiquilla | /t͡ʃiˈkiʝa/ | Chile, feminine |
| morrita | /moˈrita/ | feminine |
These terms are all used to refer to a young female person.
Which one should you use?
The term niña is typically used for a very young girl or a child. In contrast, muchacha and chica can refer to older adolescents or young women. Chica is a very common and versatile term for a girl or young woman.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, chamaca is a common way to say girl or kid, while morrita is a colloquial term for a girl. In Argentina, nena is a common term for a girl or a young child. In Chile, you may hear cabra or chiquilla. In Argentina, Chile and Spain, the term lola is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the word niña plural, you change the ending to -as and use the feminine plural article las (e.g., las niñas).
How do you pronounce it?
/muˈtʃatʃa/
Did you know?
- In Chile, calling a girl a cabra is perfectly normal, but in other countries, it might sound like you are calling her a 'goat'.
- While niña means 'girl', the phrase niña bien is used in several countries to describe a girl from a wealthy or high-society background.
- In many regions, the word nena is used as a term of endearment for a romantic partner, much like the English 'baby'.
Examples in context
- Vio a la niña.He saw the girl.This sentence shows how to use the form niña in a simple statement.Tatoeba #1766668 by marcelostockle, translation #1766641 by CK
- Veo a la niña.I see the girl.Tatoeba #5023374 by don_ramon, translation #1875780 by Asma
- Aún es una niña.She is still a girl.This sentence shows how to use the form niña to describe someone's age.Tatoeba #1485198 by marcelostockle, translation #885221 by MarijnKp
- ¡Hola chica! ¿Cómo estás?Hi girl! How are you?
- Che, ¿viste a esa piba que trabaja en la tienda de la esquina?Hey, have you seen that girl who works at the store on the corner?
- 789 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel asks María about a new neighbor.
- Daniel¿Quién es esa muchacha?Who is that girl?
- MaríaEs mi prima.She is my cousin.
- DanielParece muy simpática.She seems very nice.
- MaríaSí, la muchacha es muy amable.Yes, the girl is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries muchacha, niña, chica, cabra, chamaca, lola, nena, chiquilla, morrita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
