nalgas
/ˈnalɡas/
The Spanish phrase nalgas means buttocks.
nalgas refers to the fleshy parts of the human buttocks.
Which one should you use?
While nalgas is informal, glúteos is the more formal or medical term for the same body part. In contrast, culo is a common slang term that can be more vulgar than nalgas.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nalgas is an informal and somewhat blunt way to refer to the buttocks. For more formal or neutral situations, you can use glúteos, trasero or parte trasera. In very informal or playful contexts, especially when talking about children, pompis is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form is nalga, though the plural nalgas is much more commonly used to refer to the buttocks in general.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnalɡas/
Did you know?
- In various Spanish dialects, the word culo is far more versatile than nalgas and can be used in dozens of idioms to mean 'the end' or 'the bottom' of an object.
- While nalgas is blunt, the diminutive nalguitas is frequently used in medical settings when talking to children to make the examination sound less intimidating.
- The word nalga is the root of the verb nalguear, which means to spank, though the more common term for the act is dar una nalgada.
Examples in context
- Siente dolor en las nalgas.He feels pain in his buttocks.
- El ejercicio ayuda a tonificar las nalgas.Exercise helps to tone the buttocks.
- Tiene las nalgas muy grandes.She has very large buttocks.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about a fall he had while skating.
- JavierMe caí del skate y aterricé sobre mis nalgas.I fell off the skateboard and landed on my buttocks.
- Elena¿Te lastimaste mucho, Javier?Did you hurt yourself a lot, Javier?
- JavierSí, ahora me duelen las nalgas al caminar.Yes, now my buttocks hurt when I walk.
- ElenaDeberías ponerte un poco de hielo.You should put some ice on it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nalgas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.