Spanish Conversation · Level 5
88 words
Spanish word
gallina
Pronunciation
IPA/gaˈʝina/
Meaning
- feminine nounhen
Example
La gallina puso un huevo esta mañana.
The hen laid an egg this morning.
More examples
En el mercado venden gallinas vivas.
At the market they sell live hens.
Core concept
An adult female chicken that lays eggs.
Common phrases
gallina viva
live hen
huevos de gallina
hen eggs
Similar words
pollo: Chicken meat sold or prepared for eating.
gallo: Adult male chicken that often crows at dawn.
Definition in Spanish
Ave doméstica hembra de Gallus gallus, adulta y criada principalmente para poner huevos; en sentido figurado, persona que muestra miedo o falta de valor.
Word origin
From Latin gallīna, related to gallus 'cock', originally referring to an egg-laying domestic female and later extended metaphorically to mean cowardice.
Usage tips
- In everyday Spanish chicken meat is called pollo, so gallina normally denotes the live/egg-laying bird rather than the food item.