esa chica
/esa t͡ʃika/from spelling rules
The English phrase "that girl" is translated into Spanish as esa chica.
The phrase is used to refer to a specific female person who is not near the speaker.
Which one should you use?
Use esa chica to refer to a girl who is near the listener, whereas aquella chica is used for a girl who is much further away. If the girl is a very young child, it is often more natural to use esa niña instead of esa chica.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico or Colombia, Aquella muchacha is used to mean "that girl".
How does it change in a sentence?
The demonstrative adjective esa must agree in gender and number with the noun chica. Additionally, when esa chica is the direct object of a verb, such as "know" or "see", you must use the personal a before it.
How do you pronounce it?
/esa tʃika/
Did you know?
- While chica means 'girl', it is also used in Spanish to describe the size of objects, such as a 'small' coffee or shirt.
- The word esa shares a common ancestor with the English word 'itself', as both stem from the Latin root 'ipse'.
- In some regions, saying esa chica with a specific tone can imply that the girl is 'trouble' or 'someone to watch out for', moving beyond a simple physical description.
Examples in context
- ¡Mira a esa chica!Look at that girl!This sentence is useful for directing attention to esa chica.Tatoeba #4621439 by Shishir, translation #656798 by janmato
- Esa chica es María.That girl is Mary.This sentence is useful for identifying the person as esa chica.Tatoeba #4631608 by AucaCoyan, translation #4530155 by CK
- Conozco a esa chica.I know that girl.This sentence is useful for showing the use of the personal a with esa chica.Tatoeba #1590255 by teskmon, translation #407821 by arseniiv
- Buenas tardes, ¿puede ayudarme con esa señorita?Good afternoon, can you help me with that young lady?
- La de allá, esa chica es mi mejor amigaThe one over there, that girl is my best friend.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are people-watching at a park.
- Alejandro¿Viste a esa chica de rojo?Did you see that girl in red?
- MaríaNo, no la vi.No, I didn't see her.
- AlejandroEsa chica es muy alta.That girl is very tall.
- MaríaTienes razón, es impresionante.You are right, she is impressive.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
