Inklingo

How to Say "belly" in Spanish

English → Spanish

barriga

/bah-REE-gah//baˈriɣa/

nounA1general anatomy
Use 'barriga' when referring to your general belly or tummy in everyday conversation, especially when talking about its appearance or discomfort.
A high-quality storybook illustration of a friendly, round-bellied bear standing upright.

Examples

Me duele la barriga después de comer tanto.

My tummy hurts after eating so much.

El bebé tiene una barriga muy tierna.

The baby has a very cute belly.

A Juan le está saliendo barriga porque no hace ejercicio.

Juan is getting a potbelly because he doesn't exercise.

Using 'the' instead of 'my'

In Spanish, when talking about body parts, we usually use 'la' (the) instead of 'mi' (my). Say 'me duele la barriga' (the belly hurts me) rather than 'mi barriga'.

Barriga vs. Estómago

Mistake: “Using 'estómago' for everything.”

Correction: Use 'estómago' for the internal organ and 'barriga' for the visible belly area.

estómago

nounA1Informal reference to the abdominal area
Use 'estómago' informally as a synonym for 'barriga' when expressing discomfort or pain in the abdominal area, although technically it refers to the organ.

Examples

Me duele el estómago después de comer tanto.

My stomach hurts after eating so much.

vientre

bee-EN-treh/ˈbjɛn.tɾe/

nounA2abdomen
Use 'vientre' when you want to refer to the abdomen in a more formal, anatomical, or literary context, or when discussing pregnancy.
A simple, colorful storybook illustration of a person's torso, clearly showing the rounded abdominal area.

Examples

Me duele el vientre después de comer demasiado.

My belly hurts after eating too much.

El bebé durmió boca abajo sobre el vientre de su padre.

The baby slept face down on his father's stomach.

La bailarina tenía un vientre plano y fuerte.

The dancer had a flat, strong abdomen.

Confusing 'barriga' and 'estómago'

Learners often confuse 'barriga' and 'estómago' because both are used informally to talk about the stomach area. While 'estómago' technically means the organ, it's very common to use it for general belly pain, just like 'barriga'.

Related Translations

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