Spanish Conversation · Level 105
60 words
Spanish word
pollero
Pronunciation
IPA/poˈʝeɾo/
Meaning
- masculine nounhuman smuggler
Example
¿Conoces a algún pollero que ayude a cruzar la frontera?
Do you know any human smugglers who help people cross the border?
More examples
Muchas familias pagan a un pollero para cruzar el desierto.
Many families pay a human smuggler to cross the desert.
Core concept
A smuggler who transports people across national borders in exchange for payment.
Common phrases
trabajar como pollero
work as a human smuggler
red de polleros
network of human smugglers
buscar un pollero
look for a human smuggler
Similar words
coyote: Acts as a paid broker and guide for secret border crossings, coordinating routes and guides.
pasador: Physically carries or escorts people across barriers or borders in secret.
Definition in Spanish
Persona que, por dinero, se dedica a transportar o coordinar el traslado ilegal de personas entre países.
Word origin
Derived from pollo 'chicken' plus the agent suffix -ero, a slang metaphor that compares moving people to moving poultry and thus names those who smuggle migrants.
Usage tips
- Despite resembling a harmless word for a poultry seller, pollero denotes illegal activity and is often stigmatizing, so use more neutral terms in official or sensitive conversations.