Chicken
Use for a live, female chicken (a hen).
Use for a live, male chicken (a rooster).
Use for a baby chicken (a chick). Also used as an affectionate term.
I want to eat roasted chicken.
On the farm there is a hen and many chicks.
The rooster crows very early in the morning.
Is this sandwich chicken or turkey?
'Pollo' is the standard word for chicken meat. The 'll' is pronounced like the 'y' in 'yes'.
The word is still 'pollo', but the 'll' is pronounced like 'sh' in 'shoe'. So it sounds like 'PO-sho'.
'Pollo' is also standard. The pronunciation of 'll' can vary, with some speakers using a 'y' sound and others a sound similar to the 'li' in 'million'.
While 'pollo' is the standard word for chicken, the slang phrase 'hacer un pollo' means to cause a scene or a fuss, which is unrelated to the food.
Using 'pollo' to refer to a live hen. — Saying 'Mira el pollo' when pointing at a live hen is incorrect. Use 'pollo' for the meat or a generic live chicken, but 'gallina' is correct for a hen. The right way is: 'Mira la gallina'.
Pronouncing the 'll' as an 'l' sound. — Saying 'PO-lo' is a common mistake. The double 'L' (ll) in Spanish is a distinct sound, pronounced like the 'y' in 'yes' throughout most of Latin America. Correct pronunciation is 'PO-yoh'.
Confusing gender. For example, saying 'la pollo'. — 'Pollo' is a masculine noun, so it must be used with masculine articles like 'el' or 'un'. The correct form is 'el pollo' (the chicken) or 'un pollo' (a chicken).
Found this useful? Save it for later.