gallina
/ɡaˈʝina/
The Spanish phrase for 'scaredy cat' is gallina.
gallina is used to describe a person who is easily frightened or lacks courage.
What does it mean word for word?
The term gallina literally means 'hen'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Calling someone a gallina is an informal way to refer to them as a scaredy cat or a coward.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to multiple scaredy cats, use the plural form gallinas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡaˈʝina/
Did you know?
- Unlike the English 'scaredy cat', which is often used playfully with children, gallina can be used as a serious provocation among adults to trigger a fight or a dare.
- If you want to be even more patronizing, you can use the diminutive gallinita, which means 'little hen'.
- The word gallina shares the same Latin root as the English word 'gallus', which is the scientific name for the genus of chickens.
Examples in context
- Siempre se asusta con cualquier ruido. Es un temeroso.He/she always gets scared by any noise. He/she's a scaredy cat.
- Ella es muy miedosa, siempre evita las películas de terror. Es una miedosa en toda regla.She is very scaredy, she always avoids horror movies. She's a true scaredy cat.
- No seas una gallina y salta al agua.Don't be a scaredy cat and jump into the water.
- ¡Qué gallina eres cuando hay oscuridad!You are such a scaredy cat when it's dark!
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are at a haunted house attraction.
- Javier¡Vamos, Lucía, entra en la casa!Come on, Lucía, go into the house!
- LucíaNo puedo, soy una gallina.I can't, I'm a scaredy cat.
- JavierNo seas tan gallina, Javier te acompaña.Don't be such a scaredy cat, Javier will go with you.
- LucíaEstá bien, pero no me sueltes la mano.Fine, but don't let go of my hand.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gallina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gallina, CC BY-SA 4.0.
