Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| novia | /ˈnobja/ | feminine |
| polola | /poˈlola/ | feminine |
| jerma | /xeɾma/ (from spelling rules) | Peru, feminine |
| flaca | /ˈflaka/ | feminine |
| jeva | /ˈxeba/ | Latin America, feminine |
| geba | /xeba/ (from spelling rules) | Puerto Rico, feminine |
The term refers to a female partner in a romantic relationship. In many contexts, novia can mean both 'girlfriend' and 'fiancée'.
Which one should you use?
While novia is the standard term, other words are used in specific regions or informal settings. For example, polola is a colloquial term for girlfriend used in Chile.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
novia is the most common and widely used term, particularly in Cuban Spanish and it is appropriate in any formal or informal context. Other terms like polola are informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Chile, you will hear polola used colloquially. In Peru, the term jerma is used. In Puerto Rico, geba is a regional term. jeva is used in various parts of Latin America, and flaca is also used in certain contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form is novia. To refer to a boyfriend, use the masculine form novio.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnobja/
Did you know?
- In Chile, the word polola is so common that it has its own verb, pololear, which means to be in a romantic relationship.
- Using the word flaca as a nickname for a girlfriend is common in many Spanish-speaking countries, even if the person is not actually thin.
- The word novia comes from the Latin word nova, which means 'new'.
Examples in context
- No soy tu novia.I'm not your girlfriend.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of novia in a negative statement.Tatoeba #1937267 by marcelostockle, translation #1935173 by Spamster
- No sos mi novia.You're not my girlfriend.This sentence shows the use of novia with the second-person singular form common in certain dialects.Tatoeba #5051082 by don_ramon, translation #2545042 by CK
- Ella es mi novia.She is my girlfriend.This sentence demonstrates how to use novia to identify someone's partner.Tatoeba #451714 by Shishir, translation #312168 by CK
- ¿Hablaste con tu novia hoy?Did you speak with your girlfriend today?
- 300 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking at a coffee shop.
- Alejandro¿Viene tu novia con nosotros?Is your girlfriend coming with us?
- SofíaNo, ella tiene que trabajar.No, she has to work.
- AlejandroEntiendo, qué lástima.I understand, what a shame.
- SofíaSí, pero la verás luego.Yes, but you will see her later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girlfriend” translations and entries novia, polola, flaca, jeva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries novia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
