Spanish · People & Family

"Girl" in Spanish: niña

la niña

Say it: NEEN-yahfeminine · la niñanoun/ˈniɲa/

Girl in Spanish is la niña. It is feminine. Una niña means a girl. Niño is the boy form.

At a park

La niña corre hacia el columpio.
The girl runs toward the swing.
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How to pronounce niña

Say it

NEEN-yah

/ˈniɲa/

NEEN-yah. Stress neen. The ñ sounds like ny in canyon.

"Girl" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
la niñagirl; child (female)

Default word for a girl.

una niñaa girl

Indefinite form.

niñasgirls

Two or more girls.

chicagirl / young woman

Often older kids or young women; register varies.

How to use niña in real life

  1. 1At a park

    La niña corre hacia el columpio.

    The girl runs toward the swing.

    La niña is the clear default.

  2. 2In a store

    Busco zapatos para una niña.

    I'm looking for shoes for a girl.

    Una niña works in shopping talk.

  3. 3Describing a photo

    Esa niña es mi prima.

    That girl is my cousin.

    Esa niña points someone out.

Mistakes English speakers make with niña

Incorrect: El niña es alta.

Correct: La niña es alta.

Niña is feminine. Use la niña, una niña.

Incorrect: Vi tres niña ayer.

Correct: Vi tres niñas ayer.

Plural needs -s: niñas.

Good to know

Niña can mean girl or female child. For older teens people often say chica.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Finding someone in a crowd

  1. ChatPal

    ¿Viste a la niña de la mochila azul?

    Did you see the girl with the blue backpack?

  2. You

    Sí, esa niña está junto a la fuente.

    Yes, that girl is by the fountain.

  3. ChatPal

    Gracias. Voy hacia allá.

    Thanks. I'm heading over there.

  4. You

    Yo también. Esa niña nos espera.

    Me too. That girl is waiting for us.

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"Girl" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Girl" in Spanish

Is niña masculine or feminine?

Feminine: la niña. Boy is el niño.

Does niña only mean girl?

It can mean girl or female child. Context decides.

What about chica?

Chica often means girl or young woman, sometimes older than niña.

How do I pronounce niña?

NEEN-yah. The ñ is like ny in canyon.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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