chica española
/t͡ʃika espaɲola/from spelling rules
The English phrase "spanish girl" is chica española in Spanish.
The phrase refers to a female person who is from Spain. The word española can function as an adjective meaning "Spanish" or as a noun meaning "a Spanish woman".
Which one should you use?
The term española specifically refers to a female from Spain. In contrast, español is used to refer to a male or to the Spanish language itself.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the term chava is a popular way to refer to a girl.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective española must agree in gender with the noun chica.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃika espaɲola/
Did you know?
- In some regions of Spain, a young woman might be called a guapa as a generic term of endearment, which literally means 'beautiful' but is used like 'girl' or 'dear'.
- The word española can also refer to a specific type of traditional dress or a style of guitar tuning, showing the word's versatility beyond people.
- When referring to a chica española in an artistic context, the term often evokes the 'Maja' figure from Goya's paintings, representing a specific historical archetype of Spanish female independence and style.
Examples in context
- Ella es una chica española.She is a Spanish girl.
- Esa chica española vive en Madrid.That Spanish girl lives in Madrid.
- Conocí a una chica española en el viaje.I met a Spanish girl on the trip.
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are talking about a new classmate.
- Sofía¿Quién es la nueva estudiante?Who is the new student?
- DanielEs una chica española llamada Lucía.She is a Spanish girl named Lucía.
- Sofía¡Qué bien! Me encanta España.That's great! I love Spain.
- DanielSeguro que te caerá muy bien.I'm sure you will like her a lot.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
