How do you say 'female' in Spanish?

For gender classification on forms and in grammar, use femenino; for biological sex in scientific or animal contexts, hembra is appropriate; for a female person, mujer is the respectful choice.

When is it appropriate to use hembra?

Hembra is standard in veterinary, biological, and scientific contexts — use it for animals (gato hembra, a female cat) but avoid it when referring to people, as it can be perceived as offensive.

How do I say 'female athlete' in Spanish?

Use deportista femenina or atleta femenina — the adjective femenina follows the noun and must match in gender.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Female in Spanish: Femenino

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Femenino · adjective · feh-meh-NEE-noh

Femenino is the Spanish adjective for female, used for gender classification, while hembra is used in biological or animal contexts.

feh-meh-NEE-noh

El formulario tiene opciones de género: masculino y femenino.

The form has gender options: male and female.

Female in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for female, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
femenino	female	feh-meh-NEE-noh	Default, widely understood
hembra	female		biological/animal contexts
mujer	female		when referring to a female person

How Native Speakers Use Femenino

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Form filling

Marque la casilla de sexo femenino en el formulario.

Check the female box on the form.

Completing an official document.

Biology

La tortuga hembra pone los huevos en la arena.

The female turtle lays eggs in the sand.

Describing animal behavior in a nature documentary.

Demographics

El sesenta por ciento de los estudiantes son de sexo femenino.

Sixty percent of the students are female.

Presenting demographic data.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Femenino

Using hembra for women

Incorrect: Las hembras de la oficina tienen una reunión.

Correct: Las mujeres de la oficina tienen una reunión.

Hembra is for animals or biological classification — using it for women is considered rude and dehumanizing.

Confusing femenino with feminista

Incorrect: Ella tiene una perspectiva muy femenina. (meaning feminist)

Correct: Ella tiene una perspectiva muy feminista.

Femenino means female or feminine, while feminista means feminist — they have very different meanings.

Lock in Female 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 Femenino used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using femenino in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El formulario tiene opciones de género: masculino y femenino. 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 Female in Spanish

How do you say 'female' in Spanish?: For gender classification on forms and in grammar, use femenino; for biological sex in scientific or animal contexts, hembra is appropriate; for a female person, mujer is the respectful choice.
When is it appropriate to use hembra?: Hembra is standard in veterinary, biological, and scientific contexts — use it for animals (gato hembra, a female cat) but avoid it when referring to people, as it can be perceived as offensive.
How do I say 'female athlete' in Spanish?: Use deportista femenina or atleta femenina — the adjective femenina follows the noun and must match in gender.