saliva
/saˈliba/feminine
The Spanish word for saliva is saliva.
saliva refers to the liquid secreted into the mouth.
Meaning: liquid secreted into the mouth (noun)
Which one should you use?
While saliva is the standard term, la baba is used in informal contexts to refer to saliva.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word saliva is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/saˈliba/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking countries, the expression echar baba can be used to describe the act of flattering someone excessively to get a favor.
- While saliva is the biological term, the word baba is used to describe the slime left by snails and slugs, as well as the drool of a sleeping baby.
- In certain Latin American slang, the word baboso can be used to call someone 'stupid' or 'slow-witted' rather than just describing someone who is 'drooling'.
Examples in context
- No hay nadie cuya saliva no hiede.There's nobody whose saliva doesn't stink.This sentence shows the use of saliva in a descriptive context.Tatoeba #4049568 by mervert1, translation #4047004 by mervert1
- Tenemos que investigar si hay presencia de sangre en la saliva del paciente.We need to investigate whether there is blood in the patient's saliva.
- ¡No me toques con la baba del perro!Don't touch me with the dog's drool!
- La saliva es necesaria para la digestión.Saliva is necessary for digestion.
- El perro tiene mucha saliva en la boca.The dog has a lot of saliva in its mouth.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are at a veterinary clinic.
- Mateo¿Viste la cantidad de saliva de este perro?Did you see how much saliva this dog has?
- SofíaSí, Mateo, parece que está muy enfermo.Yes, Mateo, it looks like he is very sick.
- MateoLa saliva es muy espesa y clara.The saliva is very thick and clear.
- SofíaEspero que el veterinario nos ayude pronto.I hope the vet helps us soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “saliva” translations and entries saliva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
