Inklingo

How to Say "spare tire" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “spare tire” is “llanta” — use 'llanta' when referring informally to excess body fat around the waist, often in a slightly self-deprecating or humorous way.

English → Spanish

llanta

yan-tahˈʝanta

nounB2informal
Use 'llanta' when referring informally to excess body fat around the waist, often in a slightly self-deprecating or humorous way.
A simple drawing of a person's midsection with a soft roll of fat visible at the waistline.

Examples

Después de las vacaciones, me salieron unas llantitas.

After the holidays, I got some little spare tires (rolls of fat).

Using the Diminutive

People often say 'llantitas' (little tires) to make the description of body fat sound less harsh or more cute.

salvavidas

sal-ba-BEE-dahssalbaˈβiðas

nounA2slang
Use 'salvavidas' as very informal slang for body fat around the waist, similar to 'spare tire' or 'love handles'.
A bright orange life jacket laying flat on a wooden boat deck.

Examples

Es obligatorio llevar el salvavidas puesto en el barco.

It is mandatory to wear the life jacket on the boat.

El marinero lanzó un salvavidas al agua para ayudar al nadador.

The sailor threw a lifebuoy into the water to help the swimmer.

One or Many?

This word stays exactly the same whether you are talking about one life jacket or ten! To show there are more than one, just change 'el' to 'los'.

Don't change the ending

Mistake: “los salvavidases”

Correction: los salvavidas

Informal vs. Slang

The main confusion is between 'llanta' and 'salvavidas'. While both refer to body fat, 'llanta' is a more common and slightly less slangy informal term. 'Salvavidas' is more colloquial and might sound a bit more dated or regional.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.