embarazo
/embaˈɾaθo/masculine
The English word "pregnancy" is translated into Spanish as embarazo. Wiktionary also lists gravidez and preñez.
Meaning: 9-month period of carrying offspring in the uterus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| embarazo | /embaˈɾaθo/ /embaˈɾaso/ |
masculine |
| gravidez | /ɡɾabiˈdeθ/ /ɡɾabiˈdes/ |
feminine |
| preñez | /pɾeˈɲeθ/ /pɾeˈɲes/ |
feminine |
The term refers to the nine-month period of carrying offspring in the uterus.
Which one should you use?
Embarazo is the standard and most common term used in everyday conversation and medical contexts. Gravidez is a highly formal or technical medical term that is rarely used in casual speech. Preñez is typically used when referring to the pregnancy of animals rather than humans.
How does it change in a sentence?
Embarazo is a masculine noun and is preceded by masculine articles such as el or un. Gravidez and preñez are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/embaˈɾaθo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse embarazo with the English word "embarrassment". Although they sound similar, embarazo specifically means pregnancy.
Did you know?
- The root of embarazo can be traced back through Arabic and Old Galician-Portuguese to the Akkadian word rakāsum.
- The formal term gravidez shares a root with the English word 'gravity', as both refer to the 'heaviness' or weight associated with being pregnant.
- While embarazo is the standard term for humans, using preñez for a person is often considered a crude or dehumanizing way to describe pregnancy.
Examples in context
- Su embarazo estuvo lleno de complicaciones.Her pregnancy was fraught with complications.This sentence shows how to describe a pregnancy with complications using embarazo.Tatoeba #755830 by Shishir, translation #753532 by papabear
- La noticia de su embarazo la tomó por sorpresa.News of her pregnancy took her by surprise.This sentence shows how news regarding an embarazo can be a surprise.Tatoeba #1522713 by marcelostockle, translation #1522362 by erikspen
- La anticoncepción es más barata que el embarazo.Contraception is cheaper than pregnancy.This sentence uses embarazo to compare the cost of contraception versus pregnancy.Tatoeba #5068200 by cueyayotl, translation #3633214 by Hybrid
- El diagnóstico de embarazo se realiza mediante pruebas de sangre o de orina.The diagnosis of pregnancy is made through blood or urine tests.
- La gestación humana dura aproximadamente 40 semanas.Human gestation lasts approximately 40 weeks.
- Durante el estado de gravidez, es importante mantener una alimentación equilibrada.During pregnancy, it's important to maintain a balanced diet.
- ¡No puedo creerlo! ¡Mi hermana mayor está embarazada!I can't believe it! My older sister is pregnant!
- Mis amigos están esperando un bebé y están muy emocionados.My friends are expecting a baby, and they are very excited.
- ¿Ya sabes si el bebé será niño o niña?Do you already know if the baby will be a boy or a girl?
- Mi hermana tiene cinco meses de embarazo y se siente muy bien.My sister is five months pregnant, and she feels great.
- La ecografía mostró que todo está bien con el embarazo.The ultrasound showed that everything is fine with the pregnancy.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are talking at a cafe about a friend.
- JavierEspero que su embarazo sea tranquilo.I hope her pregnancy is peaceful.
- SofíaSí, ella está muy feliz ahora.Yes, she is very happy now.
- Javier¿Cuánto tiempo le queda de embarazo?How much longer is her pregnancy?
- SofíaSolo le quedan dos meses.She only has two months left.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pregnancy” translations and entries embarazo, gravidez, preñez, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries embarazo, gravidez, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
