Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| niña | /ˈniɲa/ | feminine |
| muchacha | /muˈt͡ʃat͡ʃa/ | 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 |
All these terms refer to a young female person.
Which one should you use?
While all the terms refer to a young female, niña specifically implies a child or a very young girl, whereas chica or muchacha can refer to older girls or even young women.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In Puerto Rico, Señorita is a formal term used when referring to an unmarried young woman. Chica is a widely used informal term for a girl, and nena is a popular informal term of endearment for a girl or a woman.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, chamaca is a colloquial term for a girl or young person and morrita is a slang term used to refer to a girl or a young woman. In Chile, you may encounter cabra, lola or chiquilla. In Argentina, the term lola or nena is used. In Spain, lola is used as well.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈniɲa/
Did you know?
- The word cabra literally means 'goat' in Spanish, but in Chile it is used colloquially to refer to a girl.
- In Spain, lola can refer to a girl but is also a very common traditional name, which is a shortened form of Dolores.
- While niña means 'girl', it is also used as a general term of endearment for adult women in some Spanish-speaking cultures.
Examples in context
- Vio a la niña.He saw the girl.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form niña when referring to a girl who was seen.Tatoeba #1766668 by marcelostockle, translation #1766641 by CK
- Veo a la niña.I see the girl.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form niña when referring to a girl that is being seen.Tatoeba #5023374 by don_ramon, translation #1875780 by Asma
- Aún es una niña.She is still a girl.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form niña to describe someone's age or stage of life.Tatoeba #1485198 by marcelostockle, translation #885221 by MarijnKp
- 789 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about a child in the park.
- MateoLa niña está jugando sola.The girl is playing alone.
- LucíaEs una niña muy valiente.She is a very brave girl.
- Mateo¿Quieres ir con la niña?Do you want to go with the girl?
- LucíaSí, la niña es muy amable.Yes, the girl is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries niña, muchacha, 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.
