How do you say calf in Spanish?

For the leg muscle, use pantorrilla (feminine); for a young cow, use becerro (masculine) or ternero in Spain.

What is the difference between becerro and ternero?

Both mean a young cow, but ternero is more common in Spain and also gives us ternera (veal), while becerro is widely used across Latin America.

How do you say calf muscle in Spanish?

The calf muscle is called músculo de la pantorrilla or simply pantorrilla, and the specific muscles are the gemelos (gastrocnemius).

Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate

How to Say Calf in Spanish: Pantorrilla or Becerro

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Pantorrilla · noun (feminine) · pahn-toh-RREE-yah

Calf in Spanish is pantorrilla for the leg muscle and becerro or ternero for a young cow.

Pantorrilla is pahn-toh-RREE-yah, with the stress on the third syllable.

Me dio un calambre en la pantorrilla mientras corría.

I got a cramp in my calf while running.

Calf in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for calf, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
pantorrilla	calf	pahn-toh-RREE-yah	Default, widely understood
becerro	calf		young cow
ternero	calf		young cow (Spain)

How Native Speakers Use Pantorrilla

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Body part

Hago ejercicios especiales para fortalecer las pantorrillas.

I do special exercises to strengthen my calves.

Fitness context.

Young cow

El becerro nació esta madrugada en la granja.

The calf was born early this morning on the farm.

Agricultural context.

Muscle pain

Después de la carrera me dolían mucho las pantorrillas.

After the race my calves hurt a lot.

Post-exercise soreness.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Pantorrilla

Using ternera for body part

Incorrect: Me duele la ternera. (meaning leg calf)

Correct: Me duele la pantorrilla.

Ternera means a young cow or veal, not the leg muscle; pantorrilla is the body part.

Confusing singular and plural

Incorrect: Me duele las pantorrilla.

Correct: Me duelen las pantorrillas.

When referring to both calves, use plural pantorrillas with the plural verb duelen.

Lock in Calf 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 Pantorrilla used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using pantorrilla in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me dio un calambre en la pantorrilla mientras corría. 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 Calf in Spanish

How do you say calf in Spanish?: For the leg muscle, use pantorrilla (feminine); for a young cow, use becerro (masculine) or ternero in Spain.
What is the difference between becerro and ternero?: Both mean a young cow, but ternero is more common in Spain and also gives us ternera (veal), while becerro is widely used across Latin America.
How do you say calf muscle in Spanish?: The calf muscle is called músculo de la pantorrilla or simply pantorrilla, and the specific muscles are the gemelos (gastrocnemius).