# Los Pollitos Dicen

"Los pollitos dicen" is a beloved Spanish-language nursery song and lullaby from across Latin America and Spain, picturing baby chicks who cheep when hungry or cold and a mother hen who feeds and shelters them.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Spain |
| Sung in | Spanish |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | traditional; a 1907 attribution is disputed |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | lullaby, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/los-pollitos-dicen/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (es)

Los pollitos dicen, pío, pío, pío,
cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frío.
La gallina busca el maíz y el trigo,
les da la comida y les presta abrigo.

### English translation (en)

The little chicks say cheep, cheep, cheep,
when they are hungry, when they are cold.
The hen looks for the maize and the wheat,
gives them their food and keeps them warm.

## Common questions

**What does "Los pollitos dicen" mean?**

The little chicks say "pío, pío, pío" (cheep, cheep, cheep) when they are hungry and when they are cold. The mother hen searches for maize and wheat, gives them their food and keeps them warm. It is a tender picture of a mother caring for her babies, which is why it doubles as a lullaby.

**Where is "Los Pollitos Dicen" from, and who wrote it?**

It is a traditional song sung all over Spain and Latin America, passed down by ear. Its authorship is uncertain: it is usually treated as anonymous folk, though some sources credit the Chilean writer Ismael Parraguez (who published a version in 1907) and others an Ecuadorian author — none of which is settled.

**How is "Los Pollitos Dicen" usually sung?**

Softly, as a cradle song, with the "pío, pío, pío" imitating the chicks. It is one of the first songs many Spanish-speaking children learn, and its question-and-answer shape (why do they cheep? because they're hungry or cold) makes it easy to remember.

## Sources

- [Bebés y más — Canciones populares infantiles: Los pollitos dicen](https://www.bebesymas.com/actividades-bebes-ninos/canciones-populares-infantiles-pollitos-dicen)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q122853391