In this article, I have 9 Spanish words to teach you that are for women only. Actually, these 9 Spanish words can be useful for men as well, especially men who have a Spanish speaking "esposa" (wife) or "novia" (girlfriend).

I learned most of these Spanish words when I had a "novia" ("novia" can mean girlfriend or fiancée, but in this case the word means fiancée) and we lived together here in Medellín, Colombia. I would sometimes eavesdrop on the conversations that she had with her "amigas" and jot down words with a "pluma" (pen) and "papelito" (piece of paper) in order to write these words in my emails and share them with my customers.

I am sure that they had no idea that I was "escondido" (hidden, secret), listening to their most private conversations. But some of these words I did not learn from eavesdropping but I learned the words from speaking in Spanish with my x-novia. So please do not think of me as an "espía" (spy). Here are 9 of these vocabulary words for-women-only.

1. Planificar – family planning, such as the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control.

Estoy planificando.
I am using birth control.

By the way, "planificar" can also mean "to plan." And the verb "planear" also means to plan. But when using "planificar" to talk about planning in general, "planificar" is a more formal word than the verb "planear."

2. Tampón – tampon

Amor, me compras tampones cuando te vayas al supermercado.
Sweetheart, will you buy me some tampons when you go to the supermarket.

3. Cólico – menstrual cramps.

Tengo muchos cólicos. I have a lot of menstrual cramps.

By the way, if you are referring to the type of cramps that you get from exercising or running, the word is "calambre."

El corredor cayó antes de llegar a la meta a causa de un calambre en la pierna.
The runner fell before arriving at the finish line because of a cramp in his leg.

4. Regla – menstrual period

Muchas mujeres sufren de cólicos durante la regla.
Many women suffer from menstrual cramps during their period.

Besides "regla" some women say "menstruación" (menstruation) or "período" (period).

You may have noticed that in the last two examples, in English we used the possessive. For example, "his leg" and "their period." But in Spanish, in these instances, there is no need to indicate "possession." In these examples, one says "la pierna" (the leg) and "la regla" (the period).

That's because "possession" is implied. A runner can not have a cramp in someone else's leg. He can only have a cramp in HIS OWN leg. Women can not suffer from menstrual cramps from someone else's menstruation. They can only suffer from menstrual cramps from THEIR OWN menstruation. But in English, we have a tendency to be redundant and state possession even though
it is implied or even obvious.

5. Embarazada – pregnant

Estoy embarazada.
I am pregnant.

You may recall that in my last email I mentioned that in Medellin, they do not say "Estoy embarazada, ella está embarazada, etc." In Medellin, they say:

Estoy en embarazo. (I am pregnant.)
Ella está en embarazo. (She is pregnant.)

6. Ovular – to ovulate

Cuando las hembras y las mujeres ovulan están listas para reproducirse.
When females animals and women ovulate they are ready to reproduce.

7. Aborto – abortion

En Colombia, el aborto es ilegal.
In Colombia, abortion is illegal.

8. Pastillas anticonceptivas – birth control pills

La mujer dice "se me olvidó tomar la pastilla anticonceptiva."
The woman said "I forgot to take my birth control pill."

You may also hear some Spanish-speaking women say "la píldora" which means "the pill."

9. Trimestre – trimester

El primer trimestre del embarazo puede ser muy difícil para la futura mamá.
The first trimester of pregnancy can be very difficult for the future mother.