Friday, 7 September 2012

Gallina


Today's WOTD is: "gallina" = hen

In Spanish, the noun "gallina" is a feminine noun of Latin origin which means hen*.

*NB The Spanish noun “gallina” is often indicated as translation for the English term “chicken”. However, in contrast with “chicken”, which appears not to differentiate between the male and female bird, the Spanish term “gallina” refers specifically to the female (never to the male bird).

Some commonly used expressions containing the words "gallina" are:
  • Acostarse alguien con las gallinas (to go to bed really early);
  • Andar como gallina clueca (to be as proud as Punch);
  • Cantar la gallina (to show true colours/ to become a disappointing failure);
  • Carne de gallina (goose pimples);
  • Cuero de gallina (goose pimples);
  • Estar como gallina con huevos (to be distrustful);
  • Estar como gallina en corral ajeno (to be like a fish out of water);
  • Caldo de gallina (chicken soup);
  • Gallina armada (a type of chicken stew/ casserole);
  • Gallina ciega (a kids' playground game – blind man's buff?);
  • Gallina clueca (broody**/ brooding hen)
  • Gallina de agua (coot-like bird);
  • Gallina de Guinea (guinea fowl);
  • Gallina de mar (fish - gurnard);
  • Gallina de río (coot-like bird);
  • Gallina en pepitoria (chicken in 'pepitoria' sauce – egg, almonds, pine nuts, bread & wine);
  • Gallina fría (dead hen);
  • Gallina sorda (woodcock);
  • Cuando meen las gallinas (when pigs fly/ never);
  • Matar la gallina de los huevos de oro (to kill the goose which lays the golden eggs);
  • Piel de gallina (goose pimples);

**NB The Spanish term is not commonly used to express the feelings of a woman/ female “feeling broody”.


Some examples of the use of the word "gallina" are:
  • Anoche nos acostamos con las gallinas (last night we went to bed really early);
  • Inés anda como gallina clueca (Inés is as proud as Punch);
  • Nada más llegar Pedro cantó la gallina (on his arrival Pedro showed his true colours/he was a disappointment/ a failure);
  • Se me pone la carne de gallina (I get goose pimples);
  • Se me pone el cuero de gallina (I get goose pimples);
  • Se me pone la piel de gallina (I get goose pimples);
  • Estás como gallina con huevos (you are really distrustful);
  • Estábamos como gallinas en corral ajeno (we were like fish out of water);
  • El caldo de gallina está muy rico (the chicken soup is very nice);
  • Esta ave es una gallina clueca (that bird is a broody/ brooding hen);
  • Esta ave es una gallina de agua (that bird is a coot);
  • Esta ave es una gallina de Guinea (that bird is a guinea fowl);
  • Este pescado es una gallina de mar (that fish is a gurnard);
  • Esta ave es una gallina de río (that bird is a coot);
  • Esta ave es una gallina sorda (that bird is a woodcock);
  • Esta ave es una gallina fría (that bird is a dead hen);
  • Eso lo conseguiremos cuando meen las gallinas (we will get that when pigs fly/ we'll never get that);
  • Cuidado no vayamos a matar la gallina de los huevos de oro (we need to be careful not to kill the goose which lays the golden eggs);

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "gallina" in the YouTube clip: LA GALLINA TURULECA.- con Letra

For more on the word "gallina", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Gallina

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “gallina” in the link to hear the word pronounced.

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