muchacha
everyday, Cuba
In Cuba a girl is a muchacha in neutral speech and a niña when she is a child. In slang, jeva means a young woman or a girlfriend.
Meaning: young female person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| muchacha | everyday, Cuba |
| jeva | slang |
| niña | child |
Niña is for little girls. Muchacha or chica works for a teenager or young woman. Jeva is informal and its male counterpart is jevo.
Which one should you use?
Be careful with jeva outside close circles. It is slang and can sound too casual for strangers.
Did you know?
- Jeva and jevo are slang words that Cubans use for young women and young men, and they are heard in Cuban music.
Examples in context
- La niña juega en el parque.The girl plays in the park.
- Esa muchacha es mi vecina.That girl is my neighbor.
- Ella es su jeva.She is his girlfriend.
Example conversation
Yaima talks about her daughter with her friend Rosa in Matanzas.
- YaimaMi niña empieza la escuela mañana.My girl starts school tomorrow.
- RosaQué bien, ¿está contenta?Nice, is she happy?
- YaimaSí, ya tiene su mochila.Yes, she already has her backpack.
