Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| nena | /ˈnena/ | Argentina, feminine |
| niña | /ˈniɲa/ | feminine |
| muchacha | /muˈt͡ʃat͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| chica | /ˈt͡ʃika/ | feminine |
| cabra | /ˈkabɾa/ | Chile, feminine |
| chamaca | /t͡ʃaˈmaka/ | Mexico, feminine |
| lola | /ˈlola/ | Argentina, Chile, Spain, feminine |
| chiquilla | /t͡ʃiˈkiʝa/ | Chile, feminine |
| morrita | /moˈrita/ | feminine |
All these terms are used to refer to a young female person.
Which one should you use?
niña is the most standard and neutral way to refer to a young female child. In contrast, chica often refers to a slightly older girl or a young woman and is more appropriate for adolescents and young adults.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nena is an informal, affectionate term often used for very young girls or babies.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, chamaca is a common colloquial term for a girl or child, while morrita is a slang term used to refer to a girl or young woman. In Chile, cabra and chiquilla are used. The term lola is used in Argentina, Chile and Spain. In Argentina, nena is also a common form.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine singular form of the word is indicated by the article la, as in la niña.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnena/
Did you know?
- The use of lola to refer to a girl can be a shortened version of the name Dolores, which refers to the 'sorrows' of the Virgin Mary.
- In Chile, calling a girl cabra might sound strange to an English speaker, as it is the same word used for a female goat.
- The word nena is often used in popular Latin music and reggaeton as a romantic or flirtatious way to address a partner.
Examples in context
- Vio a la niña.He saw the girl.This sentence shows how to use niña in a simple sentence.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 niña to describe someone's age.Tatoeba #1485198 by marcelostockle, translation #885221 by MarijnKp
- La niña juega en el parque.The girl plays in the park.
- La chica es muy simpática.The girl is very nice.
- 789 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are watching a child play in a park.
- JavierMirá a esa nena, corre muy rápido.Look at that girl, she runs very fast.
- MaríaSí, es una nena con mucha energía.Yes, she is a girl with a lot of energy.
- JavierParece muy feliz hoy.She seems very happy today.
- MaríaEs verdad, se nota que está contenta.It's true, you can tell she is happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries nena, niña, muchacha, chica, cabra, chamaca, lola, chiquilla, morrita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
