How to Say "belly" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “belly” is “barriga” — use this for the general, everyday word for 'belly' or 'tummy', especially when talking about feeling full or discomfort after eating.
barriga
bah-REE-gahbaˈriɣa
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
Examples
Me duele el estómago después de comer tanto.
My stomach hurts after eating so much.
panza
PAHN-sahˈpansa
Examples
Me duele un poco la panza por comer tantos dulces.
My tummy hurts a bit from eating so many sweets.
El gato siempre duerme panza arriba en el sofá.
The cat always sleeps belly up on the sofa.
Esa jarra de barro tiene una panza muy ancha.
That clay jar has a very wide bulge.
Using 'the' instead of 'my'
When talking about your own body in Spanish, use 'la' (the) instead of 'mi' (my). For example, say 'Me duele la panza' instead of 'Me duele mi panza'.
Always Feminine
Even if a man has a large stomach, the word remains feminine: 'la panza'. Any adjectives describing it must also be feminine, like 'panza hinchada' (swollen belly).
Thinking it's a 'bad' word
Mistake: “Avoiding 'panza' because you think it is a swear word.”
Correction: It is not a swear word! It's just informal. You can use it with friends, family, and even children without being offensive.
vientre
bee-EN-trehˈbjɛn.tɾe
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.
abdomen
ab-DOH-menabˈdomen
Examples
Me duele el abdomen después de hacer tantos ejercicios.
My abdomen hurts after doing so many exercises.
El médico presionó suavemente mi abdomen para revisar el dolor.
The doctor gently pressed my abdomen to check the pain.
En los insectos, el abdomen es la parte posterior del cuerpo.
In insects, the abdomen is the back part of the body.
Using 'The' instead of 'My'
In Spanish, we usually say 'the abdomen' (el abdomen) instead of 'my abdomen' (mi abdomen) when it's clear we are talking about our own body. For example: 'Me duele el abdomen'.
The Plural Accent Change
While 'abdomen' does not have an accent mark, its plural form 'abdómenes' needs one on the 'o' to keep the sound on the same syllable.
Gender Confusion
Mistake: “La abdomen”
Correction: El abdomen
tripa
TREE-pahˈtɾipa
Examples
Me duele la tripa por comer tantos dulces.
My belly hurts because I ate so many sweets.
Al bebé se le escucha el ruido de las tripas.
You can hear the baby's tummy rumbling.
Tengo que hacer ejercicio para bajar la tripa.
I need to exercise to get rid of my belly.
Using 'La' instead of 'My'
In Spanish, when talking about body parts, we usually use 'the' (la) instead of 'my' (mi). Instead of saying 'mi tripa', say 'la tripa' when the owner is already clear.
Always Feminine
Even if a man is talking about his belly, the word is always 'la tripa'. It doesn't change gender based on the person.
Tripa vs. Estómago
Mistake: “Using 'estómago' for everything.”
Correction: Use 'tripa' or 'barriga' for the external belly or general discomfort. 'Estómago' sounds more like a doctor's office term.
Informal vs. Formal 'Belly'
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.