Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Cow in Spanish: How to Say Vaca
Vaca · noun (feminine) · BAH-kah
Cow in Spanish is vaca, a feminine noun (la vaca). The bull is el toro, a calf is un ternero, and cattle in general are el ganado.
Vaca is BAH-kah; the v sounds like a soft b.
Las vacas pastan en el campo.
The cows graze in the field.
Cow in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for cow, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| vaca | cow | BAH-kah | Default, widely understood |
| ternero | cow | calf | |
| ganado | cow | cattle (collective) |
How Native Speakers Use Vaca
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Grazing
Las vacas pastan en el campo.
The cows graze in the field.
Pastar is to graze.
Milking
Ordeñan a las vacas temprano por la mañana.
They milk the cows early in the morning.
Ordeñar is to milk.
A new calf
La vaca dio a luz a un ternero sano.
The cow gave birth to a healthy calf.
Dar a luz means to give birth.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Vaca
Pronouncing the v like English
Incorrect: Saying VAH-ka with an English v.
Correct: BAH-ka with a soft b.
Spanish v and b sound the same (a soft b), so vaca sounds like BAH-ka, with no English-style v.
Confusing vaca with toro or buey
Incorrect: Calling a bull a vaca.
Correct: Vaca is a cow; a bull is toro and an ox is buey.
Vaca is specifically the female, while the bull is el toro and a castrated ox is el buey.
Lock in Cow Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Vaca used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using vaca in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Las vacas pastan en el campo. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Cow in Spanish
- How do you say cow in Spanish?
- Cow in Spanish is vaca (BAH-kah), a feminine noun, and beef the meat is carne de res or carne de vaca.
- What is a calf called in Spanish?
- A calf is un ternero (male) or una ternera (female), and ternera is also the word for veal on a menu.
- Is there an expression with vaca?
- Yes, una vaca sagrada means a sacred cow, and hacer una vaca means to pool money together in several countries.