Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Breast in Spanish: Pecho, Seno, and Pechuga
Pecho · noun · PEH-choh
The word 'breast' translates to 'pecho' (chest/breast, general), 'seno' (medical term for breast), or 'pechuga' (poultry breast for cooking). In medical contexts, 'mama' (from Latin) is used for the breast gland, as in 'cáncer de mama' (breast cancer).
Pecho is pronounced PEH-choh. Seno is SEH-noh. Pechuga is peh-CHOO-gah. Mama (medical) is MAH-mah (different stress from mamá = mom).
El médico recomendó hacerse un examen de mama anual.
The doctor recommended getting an annual breast exam.
Breast in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for breast, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| pecho | breast | PEH-choh | Default, widely understood |
| seno | breast | medical/formal | |
| pechuga | breast | breast of poultry | |
| mama | breast | medical (breast gland) |
How Native Speakers Use Pecho
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Medical context
La detección temprana del cáncer de mama salva vidas.
Early detection of breast cancer saves lives.
The medical term 'mama' is standard in health campaigns and clinical language.
Cooking
Necesito dos pechugas de pollo para la receta de esta noche.
I need two chicken breasts for tonight's recipe.
Pechuga specifically refers to the breast meat of poultry.
General anatomy
Sentí un dolor en el pecho después de correr.
I felt a pain in my chest/breast area after running.
Pecho covers the entire chest area in general usage.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Pecho
Using pecho for chicken breast
Incorrect: Compra dos pechos de pollo.
Correct: Compra dos pechugas de pollo.
For poultry meat, the correct culinary term is 'pechuga' (breast meat), not 'pecho'. Using 'pecho de pollo' sounds unusual and unclear.
Confusing seno with sino
Incorrect: El cáncer de sino es grave. (intending breast cancer)
Correct: El cáncer de seno es grave.
'Sino' means 'but rather' or 'fate', while 'seno' is the medical term for breast. The similar pronunciation can cause confusion in writing.
Lock in Breast 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 Pecho used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using pecho in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El médico recomendó hacerse un examen de mama anual. 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 Breast in Spanish
- What's the medical term for breast in Spanish?
- In clinical Spanish, the primary medical terms are 'mama' (the gland, as in 'cáncer de mama') and 'seno' (the breast as an anatomical region), with 'mama' being the more technical term used in medical literature and diagnoses.
- How do you say 'chicken breast' when cooking?
- Chicken breast in cooking is always 'pechuga de pollo'—the word 'pechuga' is exclusively used for the breast cut of birds (chicken, turkey, duck) and should not be confused with 'pecho' which refers to the human chest.
- Is 'pecho' used for both men and women?
- The word 'pecho' refers to the chest area for both men and women in Spanish, functioning as a general anatomical term—it can mean the male chest or the female breast depending on context, similar to how 'chest' works in English.