Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| niña | /ˈniɲa/ | feminine |
| muchacha | /muˈt͡ʃat͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| chica | /ˈt͡ʃika/ | feminine |
| cabra | /ˈkabɾa/ | Chile, feminine |
| chamaca | /t͡ʃaˈmaka/ | Mexico, feminine |
| lola | /ˈlola/ | Argentina, Chile, Spain, feminine |
| nena | /ˈnena/ | Argentina, feminine |
| chiquilla | /t͡ʃiˈkiʝa/ | Chile, feminine |
| morrita | /moˈrita/ | feminine |
All provided forms are feminine nouns used to refer to a young female person. Niña is a common term used to refer to young girls or adolescents. While niña specifically refers to a young child, chica is more commonly used for teenagers or young women.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Chica is a common, informal way to refer to a girl or a young woman in many contexts. Nena is an informal term used in affectionate or familiar contexts to refer to a girl. To show respect to a girl, you can use the term señorita, which is typically used to address an unmarried adult woman.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, chamaca is a common way to say girl or young person and morrita is used colloquially to refer to a girl. In Chile, cabra and chiquilla are used. In Argentina, Chile and Spain, lola is used. In Argentina, nena is used. In Spain, the informal term chavalita can be used in place of chica or muchacha.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the word niña plural, change the final -a to -as to form niñas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈniɲa/
Did you know?
- In Chile, the word cabra for a girl literally translates to 'goat' in English. While it might sound strange to an English speaker, it is a perfectly standard way to refer to a young female.
- In some regions, the word muchacha can be used to refer to a young woman, but it can also mean a 'maid' or 'domestic worker' depending on the social context.
- The colloquial Mexican word morrita is derived from morena, which describes a person with dark skin or hair.
Examples in context
- Vio a la niña.He saw the girl.This sentence shows the use of niña to indicate someone who was seen.Tatoeba #1766668 by marcelostockle, translation #1766641 by CK
- Veo a la niña.I see the girl.This sentence demonstrates the use of niña to indicate someone who is seen.Tatoeba #5023374 by don_ramon, translation #1875780 by Asma
- Aún es una niña.She is still a girl.This sentence shows how to describe someone's current state using niña.Tatoeba #1485198 by marcelostockle, translation #885221 by MarijnKp
- La niña juega en el parque.The girl is playing in the park.
- La joven estudia mucho para sus exámenes.The young girl studies hard for her exams.
- ¡Hola chicos y chicas! ¿Cómo están hoy?Hello, boys and girls! How are you today?
- La muchacha de la esquina vendió todas las entradas.The girl on the corner sold all the tickets.
- ¡Ven aquí, nena! Vamos a jugar en el jardín.Come here, sweetie! Let's play in the garden.
- Esa muchachita es muy simpática.That little girl is very friendly.
- La chavalita vive cerca de aquí.The girl lives nearby.
- 789 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are at a park watching children play.
- ElenaMira a esa niña con el globo.Look at that girl with the balloon.
- DanielEs muy linda y parece feliz.She is very cute and seems happy.
- ElenaCreo que es la niña de mi vecina.I think she is my neighbor's girl.
- DanielTienes razón, se parece a ella.You are right, she looks like her.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries niña, muchacha, chica, cabra, chamaca, lola, nena, chiquilla, morrita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
