When you first learn French, you're likely taught that le ventre is the word for “stomach.” And while that's correct, it's just the beginning! Just like in English, where you might say “tummy,” “belly,” or “abdomen” depending on the context, French has a rich vocabulary for this part of the body. Whether you're at the doctor's office, complaining about a stomach ache, or talking about a delicious meal, using the right word can make all the difference. Ready to fill your brain (and maybe your stomach)? Let's explore 9 common and useful ways to say “stomach” in French!

The standard anatomical 'stomach' – l'estomac

The most precise and standard term for the stomach as an internal organ is l'estomac. It's a masculine noun, so you'll always refer to it as un estomac or l'estomac. This is the direct equivalent of the anatomical term 'stomach' in English.

L'estomac is the word you'll find in medical textbooks, hear from a doctor, or use when specifically discussing the organ of digestion. It refers to the part of the body that receives food from the esophagus and begins the digestive process.

In everyday language, it's most commonly used to talk about health issues related to digestion. The phrase avoir mal à l'estomac is the standard way to say 'to have a stomach ache'. You might also hear about des brûlures d'estomac (heartburn).

A crucial point for learners is the difference between l'estomac and le ventre. L'estomac is the internal organ. Le ventre is the external belly, abdomen, or tummy. So, if your muscles are sore from exercise, you have mal au ventre, not mal à l'estomac. If you've eaten something that disagreed with you, you have mal à l'estomac.

French also uses l'estomac in figurative expressions. For instance, avoir l'estomac dans les talons (literally 'to have the stomach in the heels') means you are extremely hungry. If an issue is difficult to accept, you might say it me reste sur l'estomac ('it stays on my stomach').

💡 * J'ai mangé trop vite et maintenant j'ai mal à l'estomac. (I ate too fast and now I have a stomach ache.)

• Le médecin a expliqué le rôle de l'estomac dans la digestion. (The doctor explained the role of the stomach in digestion.)
• Cette injustice me reste sur l'estomac. (This injustice is hard for me to stomach/accept.)
• Il est midi, j'ai l'estomac dans les talons ! (It's noon, I'm starving!)

The common 'belly' or 'tummy' – le ventre

The most common and neutral term for the belly or stomach area in French is le ventre.

Le ventre refers to the entire abdominal region, both externally (the tummy you can see) and internally (the general area containing your organs). It's the standard word used in everyday conversation, medical contexts, and descriptions.

You'll hear this word most frequently when talking about physical sensations. The classic phrase every learner must know is 'J'ai mal au ventre,' which means 'I have a stomach ache.' It’s the universal expression for any general abdominal pain.

Le ventre also appears in many colorful French idioms. A popular one is 'avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre,' which literally means 'to have eyes bigger than the belly.' It’s the perfect phrase for when you take more food than you can possibly eat.

It's crucial not to confuse le ventre with l'estomac. While English uses 'stomach' for both the area and the organ, French is more precise. L'estomac refers specifically to the digestive organ itself, whereas le ventre is the broader 'belly' or 'abdomen'.

From describing a simple tummy ache to expressing hunger with 'avoir le ventre vide' (to have an empty stomach), le ventre is a fundamental and versatile word in everyday French.

💡 * J'ai mal au ventre après avoir trop mangé de chocolat.

• Le bébé dort sur le ventre.
• Mon chat adore quand je lui gratte le ventre.
• Au buffet, j'ai encore eu les yeux plus gros que le ventre.

The informal 'tummy' or 'potbelly' – le bidon

While le ventre is the standard French word for 'stomach' or 'belly,' you'll often hear the more informal and colloquial term le bidon in everyday conversation.

Le bidon specifically refers to the tummy, often with the connotation of a 'potbelly' or 'beer belly.' It's a familiar, slightly slangy term used among friends and family.

It's important to remember that bidon is a masculine noun, so you will always see it as le bidon or un bidon.

A very common phrase you'll encounter is avoir du bidon, which literally means 'to have some belly.' It is the most common way to say someone has a potbelly or is developing a paunch.

Reserve le bidon for relaxed, informal settings. It would sound out of place in a formal or medical context, where le ventre or l'abdomen would be the appropriate choices.

💡 * J'ai trop mangé, j'ai mal au bidon. (I ate too much, my tummy hurts.)

• Depuis qu'il a arrêté le sport, il commence à avoir du bidon. (Since he stopped playing sports, he's starting to get a potbelly.)
• Mon père a un gros bidon parce qu'il adore la bière. (My dad has a big beer belly because he loves beer.)
• Fais attention, tu vas renverser ton verre sur ton bidon ! (Be careful, you're going to spill your drink on your belly!)

The slang for 'belly' or 'gut' – le bide

The slang for 'belly' or 'gut' – le bide

Le bide is the informal French slang for 'belly' or 'gut,' used as a casual substitute for the standard word le ventre. It's commonly heard when talking about a stomach ache or having a full stomach.

Interestingly, le bide also means a complete failure or 'a flop.' This is frequently used to describe a show, movie, or joke that fails to land. The phrase faire un bide means 'to bomb' or 'to be a total failure.'

Bide is a masculine noun (le bide, un bide). A popular related expression is en avoir ras le bide, which is a very informal way to say you are 'fed up' with something.

💡 * J'ai trop mangé, j'ai mal au bide. (I ate too much, my belly hurts.)

• Son spectacle a fait un bide complet hier soir. (His show was a complete flop last night.)
• Il essaie de perdre son bide avant l'été. (He's trying to lose his gut before the summer.)
• J'en ai ras le bide de ce bruit ! (I'm fed up with this noise!)

The 'paunch' or 'potbelly' (literally 'brioche') – la brioche

In French, while la brioche literally refers to a delicious, soft, and sweet bread, it has a common slang meaning: a 'paunch,' 'potbelly,' or 'love handles.' It’s a humorous and visual way to describe a bit of a belly.

La brioche is an informal and often self-deprecating term for a small, rounded stomach. The comparison comes from the soft, round shape of the pastry. It's typically used in a lighthearted, familiar context rather than a clinical or insulting one.

You'll hear this term used among friends and family, often when someone is joking about their own weight gain. For example, someone might pat their stomach after a large meal and say they are 'developing their brioche.' It's playful and much gentler than calling someone fat.

Crucially, the word brioche is feminine in French (la brioche). Therefore, even when referring to a man's potbelly, you must use feminine articles and adjectives. For instance, you would say J'ai une petite brioche (I have a small potbelly), using the feminine form petite.

While it's a common term, be cautious. It's safest to use la brioche when talking about yourself. Using it to describe someone else can be risky unless you know them very well and are sure they will take it as a joke.

💡 * Après les fêtes, j'ai une petite brioche qui a poussé.

• Il fait des abdos tous les jours pour perdre sa brioche.
• Ne t'inquiète pas pour ta brioche, c'est charmant !
• C'est la brioche de la quarantaine, tout le monde en a une.

The medical 'abdomen' – l'abdomen

The French word for the medical term 'abdomen' is a direct cognate: l'abdomen. It's a masculine noun, so you'll see it as un abdomen or l'abdomen.

Just like in English, l'abdomen is the formal, anatomical term for the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis. You will almost exclusively encounter this word in a medical, scientific, or highly formal setting. A doctor would use this term during a consultation or in a medical report.

In everyday, informal conversation, the word you'll always hear for 'belly' or 'tummy' is le ventre. If you want to say you have a stomach ache, you would say, J'ai mal au ventre. Using l'abdomen in this context would sound overly clinical and unnatural.

To summarize the distinction: use l'abdomen when you're in a doctor's office or reading a biology textbook. Use le ventre for all other situations, like talking about being hungry, having a stomach ache, or doing sit-ups (faire des abdos, which is short for abdominaux).

💡 * Le médecin a palpé l'abdomen du patient pour trouver la source de la douleur. (The doctor palpated the patient's abdomen to find the source of the pain.)

• Une échographie de l'abdomen a été prescrite. (An ultrasound of the abdomen was prescribed.)
• J'ai trop mangé, j'ai mal au ventre. (I ate too much, my belly hurts.)
• Le chat aime qu'on lui gratte le ventre. (The cat likes having its belly scratched.)

The 'guts' or 'insides' – les entrailles

The French noun les entrailles (feminine plural) literally translates to 'the entrails,' 'the bowels,' or 'the guts.' It refers to the internal organs of a person or animal, often in a visceral context.

Metaphorically, les entrailles is used to describe the innermost, deepest, or most hidden parts of something, such as a building, a ship, or the Earth itself. It conveys a sense of depth and complexity.

A powerful expression is 'remuer les entrailles,' which means 'to stir the guts.' It is used to describe something that is profoundly moving, gut-wrenching, or deeply disturbing on an emotional level.

💡 * Les mineurs descendent chaque jour dans les entrailles de la terre. (The miners go down into the bowels of the earth every day.)

• Le mécanicien a exploré les entrailles de la voiture. (The mechanic explored the guts of the car.)
• Ce reportage sur la guerre m'a remué les entrailles. (This war report was gut-wrenching.)

The cute/childish 'tummy' – le bedon

The cute/childish 'tummy' – le bedon

Le bedon is an informal and affectionate French word for the stomach or belly, much like 'tummy' in English. It is most often used when referring to the cute, rounded belly of a baby or a small child.

The word carries a very familiar and endearing tone. While most common for children, it can also be used humorously or affectionately for an adult's potbelly, sometimes referred to as a 'petit bedon'.

It's important to distinguish le bedon from the standard, neutral word le ventre (stomach/belly). You would use le ventre in a medical or formal context, whereas le bedon is reserved for informal, familiar situations.

💡 * Le bébé a un gros bedon après son biberon. (The baby has a big tummy after his bottle.)

• J'ai un petit bedon qui pousse parce que je mange trop de gâteaux. (I'm getting a little tummy because I eat too many cakes.)
• Il est fier de son bedon de bière ! (He's proud of his beer belly!)
• Fais un bisou sur le bedon du bébé. (Give a kiss on the baby's tummy.)

The slang for 'guts' or 'bowels' – les boyaux

The French word les boyaux (pronounced lay bwah-yo) literally translates to 'bowels,' 'guts,' or 'intestines.' While it has a direct anatomical meaning, it's most frequently used in informal and slang expressions, much like 'guts' in English.

One of the most common idiomatic uses of les boyaux is in the reflexive expression se tordre les boyaux (de rire). This phrase literally means 'to twist one's guts (from laughing)' and is the French equivalent of 'to laugh your guts out' or 'to be doubled up with laughter.' It vividly conveys the physical sensation of laughing uncontrollably.

This is a highly informal, colloquial term. You would use se tordre les boyaux when talking with friends or family about something hilarious, but it would be out of place in a formal or professional context. It’s a colorful and expressive way to describe extreme amusement.

💡 * Ce spectacle comique était si drôle, je me suis tordu les boyaux !

• Son imitation du professeur nous a fait nous tordre les boyaux de rire.
• Arrête de raconter des bêtises, tu vas me faire mal aux boyaux à force de rire.
• J'ai tellement ri que j'ai cru que j'allais y laisser mes boyaux.

Are there other ways to say 'stomach' in French?

Are there other ways to say “stomach” in French?

Our list covers the most common ways to say “stomach” in French, from the general ventre to the medical estomac and the slang bide. But the French language is rich with other terms, including more specific anatomical words, regional variations, and old-fashioned expressions.

To discover more, you can do an online search for “synonymes de ventre” or “argot pour estomac”. This can help you find words appropriate for different contexts, whether you're at a doctor's office or chatting with friends.

Remember that context is crucial. Using a formal term when a casual one is needed (or vice versa) can sound unnatural. Before using a new word, try to see how it's used in a sentence to understand its proper register and connotation.

Pay close attention when you're watching French films, reading French literature, or listening to native speakers. You'll start to notice the subtle differences in how people refer to the stomach and may even pick up some interesting idiomatic expressions.

If you want to explore more vocabulary related to the body or specific medical terms, the online dictionaries WordReference and Larousse are fantastic resources. The entry for ventre is a great starting point for related phrases.

I hope this article has helped clarify the different ways to refer to the stomach in French. To finish, here is a well-known French proverb that highlights its importance: Ventre affamé n'a point d'oreilles. (A hungry stomach has no ears.)