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 the terms provided are used to refer to a young female person.
Which one should you use?
Use niña specifically when referring to a very young child, whereas chica or muchacha can refer to older girls or young women.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
chica is a common, informal way to refer to a girl or a young woman in many Spanish-speaking contexts. The term señorita is a formal way to refer to a young girl or an unmarried woman.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, chamaca is a common term for a girl or young person and morrita is a colloquial term used in Mexico to refer to a girl or young woman. In some Latin American countries like Argentina and Uruguay, nena can be used informally to say 'girl' affectionately or playfully. In Argentina, piba is a commonly used colloquial term to refer to a girl. In Chile, cabra and chiquilla are used. In Argentina, Chile and Spain, lola is also found.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of niña is niñas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈniɲa/
Did you know?
- In Chile, the word cabra is used to mean 'girl', but its literal meaning in Spanish is 'goat'.
- While niña usually refers to a child, in some Caribbean contexts, nena is used as a term of endearment for a romantic partner.
- In Mexico, chamaca can be used affectionately, but depending on the tone, it can also be a mild scolding for a mischievous girl.
Examples in context
- Vio a la niña.He saw the girl.This sentence shows the use of niña to indicate a person being seen.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 the use of niña to describe someone's age or status.Tatoeba #1485198 by marcelostockle, translation #885221 by MarijnKp
- La niña es muy inteligenteThe girl is very intelligent
- Hola chica, ¿qué tal todo?Hi girl, how's everything?
- Esa muchacha es muy simpáticaThat girl is very nice
- ¡Hola nena, ven aquí!Hey girl, come here!
- ¿Viste a esa piba nueva en el barrio?Did you see that new girl in the neighborhood?
- 789 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are watching a girl play in a park.
- LucíaMira a esa niña corriendo.Look at that girl running.
- DanielEs una niña muy rápida.She is a very fast girl.
- LucíaLa niña parece muy feliz.The girl looks very happy.
- DanielSí, es una niña alegre.Yes, she is a cheerful girl.
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.
