chica fea
/t͡ʃika fea/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "ugly girl" is chica fea.
The phrase is used to describe a girl who is not physically attractive.
Which one should you use?
In Spanish, the adjective fea follows the noun chica, whereas in English the adjective precedes the noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you can use muchacha fea or chava fea to describe an ugly girl. In Argentina, the informal terms minita fea or piba fea can be used to refer to an ugly girl.
How does it change in a sentence?
chica fea is the feminine singular form. To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must take the plural suffix -s, resulting in chicas feas.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃika fea/
Did you know?
- In some regions, the word feo is used as an intensifier for negative actions, such as está muy feo que mientas, meaning it is 'shameful' or 'wrong' to lie.
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, calling someone fea can be a term of endearment used between close friends or even romantic partners as a playful tease.
- The adjective feo is often used to describe weather or a bad smell, not just physical appearance.
Examples in context
- Esa chica fea no me gusta.I do not like that ugly girl.
- No seas malo con la chica fea.Don't be mean to the ugly girl.
- Ella era una chica fea de niña.She was an ugly girl as a child.
Example conversation
Javier and María are discussing a character in a movie.
- Javier¿Te gusta la protagonista?Do you like the protagonist?
- MaríaNo, me parece una chica fea.No, I think she is an ugly girl.
- JavierA mí me parece simpática.I think she is nice.
- MaríaPuede ser, pero no es guapa.Maybe, but she is not pretty.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
