Knowing what and how to describe body parts in Spanish is an important concept to add to your Spanish vocabulary!
Similar to the English language, Spanish has unique names for body parts. For example, “Fingers” is called Dedos in Spanish! Much like all the categories of basic Spanish words, there are many parts of the body, so keeping track of all the names can be rather annoying. No worries though!
In this article, we will teach you the Spanish names for different parts of the body and how to apply Spanish grammar to these words, such as adding definite and possessive articles. We will also be discussing some Spanish phrases and idioms about body parts, to make it more interesting!
Table of Contents
The Main Body Parts in Spanish
Our first category of the names of body parts in Spanish is “The Main body parts” or general body parts.
Below is a table showing the English names of body parts and their Spanish equivalents. These names can be used for both humans and animals, except for a few exceptions. This list includes how to say “Head” in Spanish, or Arm, Hair, Neck, etc. You will most likely encounter these body part names in everyday conversations. Some basic words and phrases to know beforehand would be “The body” which is el cuerpo in Spanish, “The skeleton” which is el esqueleto, and “Human body” which cuerpo humano is in Spanish
Simply knowing this small list of body parts in Spanish will massively increase the quality of your vocabulary, which pairs well with learning some Spanish adjectives.
English | Spanish |
---|---|
Head | Cabeza |
Arm | Brazo |
Hair | Pelo / Cabello |
Neck | Cuello |
Chest | Pecho |
Leg | Pierna |
Shoulder | Hombros |
Fingers | Dedos |
Mouth | Boca |
Nose | Nariz |
Body Parts in Spanish: Face & Head
The next category of body part names in Spanish is “Face and Head” which includes the Spanish names for Eyes, Hair, Nose, etc.
It may seem a bit impossible to learn all these words, fortunately, we have a fun learning method that includes mnemonics. These are devices that help you retain information better, which can be rhymes, abbreviations, connections, or images. This applies to all categories! Making colorful diagrams of body parts with their Spanish word will help you associate a picture with the word, making flashcards are also pretty fun and useful to make!
Associating a word with something is a neat trick to really integrate it into your memory. We will be giving you a few examples in each category. Don’t be shy though, see if you can make your own!
When cooking pasta until it is al dente means (In Italian) that the pasta is cooked firm “to the tooth”, additionally, the spelling of al dente looks very similar to Diente, or “Tooth” in Spanish. By using this connection, remembering the Spanish name for “Tooth” is easier! You learn some Italian along the way as well!
Face
Face – Cara
Forehead – Frente
Eyes – Ojos
Nose – Nariz
Eyebrows – Cejas
Eyelid – Párpado
Ears – Orejas
Lips – Labios
Cheek – Mejilla
Eyelashes – Pestañas
Tongue – Lengua
Chin – Barbilla
Jaw – Mandíbula
Tooth – Diente
Teeth – Dientes
Beard – Barba
Mustache – Bigote
Head
Skull – Cráneo
Throat – Garganta
Hair – Cabello / Pelo
Learning how to say no in Spanish can be incredibly useful, especially if the barber asks you if you like the haircut!
Body Parts in Spanish: Arm & Torso
The next category of body parts in Spanish is “Arms” and “Torso”. These include the Spanish names for “Wrist”, “Skin”, etc. Some words are also easy to remember if you really think about them. The Spanish word for “Torso” is, in fact, “Torso” so it’s one less name you have to learn! The Spanish word for “Palm” is palma which is almost similar and “Backbone” is Columna Vertebral , which is close to the scientific name of the backbone; the “Vertebral column”.
Arm
Arm – Brazo
Elbow – Codo
Hand – Mano
Shoulder – Hombro
Forearm – Antebrazo
Wrist – Muñeca
Palm – Palma
Finger – Dedo
Thumb – Pulgar
Knuckle – Nudillo
Fingernail – Uña
Torso
Back – Espalda
Chest – Pecho
Stomach – Vientre
Skin – Piel
Spine – Espina
Backbone – Columna Vertebral
Ribs – Costilla
Waist – Cintura
Torso – Torso
Bellybutton – Ombligo
Body Parts in Spanish: Leg & Feet
We arrive at the category of “Leg” and “Feet”, which includes Spanish words such as “Thigh”, “Foot”, “Heel”, etc.
The feet category is, funnily enough, the “pie” category, since “Foot” in Spanish is called pie, “Feet” is pies and “Toe” is dedo del pie. Other than using it as a fun way to remember “Feet” in Spanish, pies should not be coupled with pie. I doubt it’s pleasant. Anyways, the Spanish word for “Femur” is very easy to remember since it is quite literally fémur, which looks like a fancy version of the word “Femur”.
Leg
Leg – Pierna
Hips – Cadera
Butt – Nalgas
Knee – Rodilla
Calf – Pantorilla
Thigh – Muslo
Femur – Fémur
Kneecap – Rótula
Shin – Espinilla
Feet
Foot – Pie
Feet – Pies
Toe – Dedo del pie
Heel – Talón
Ankle – Tobillo
Body Parts in Spanish: Internal Organs
Finally, we reach the most important category when it comes to the human body; the internal organs. Here you will learn the Spanish words “Bladder”, “Muscle”, “Blood, etc.
The Spanish word for “Brain” is cerebro, which could remind you of the word “Cerebrum”, a part of the brain. “Sangre de Toro” is a type of red wine, which is a way to remember that sangre is the Spanish word for “Blood”, which as we all know is red in color. There are also words in this category that is also very similar to their English counterpart, “Muscle” is músculo and “Pancreas” is a fancy páncreas.
Grouping together the words for “Large-” and “Small- intestine” which are Intestino Grueso and Intestino Delgado respectively (which differs by one word) can help you memorize these Spanish words!
Blood – Sangre
Brain – Cerebro
Lungs – Pulmón
Liver – Hígado
Muscle – Músculo
Large Intestine – Intestino Grueso
Small Intestine – Intestino Delgado
Stomach – Estómago
Tonsil – Amígaldas
Kidney – Riñón
Pancreas – Páncreas
Bladder – Vejiga
Body Parts in Spanish Grammar
Now that you have an idea of what body parts in Spanish are called, next on the agenda is learning how to use them in conversation. We will now discuss how to use these words in Spanish writing, in accordance with the rules of Spanish grammar.
Definite Articles
Grammar in terms of Spanish body parts is luckily not that complicated.
In English, a word is usually accompanied by a possessive adjective, such as ‘my’, ‘your’, ‘our’, or ‘their’. In the Spanish language, however, a word will be accompanied by definite articles such as el, la, los, and las which means “the”.
For example, Lávese las manos con jabón (Wash your hands with soap), the Spanish word for hands has the definite article las before it.
More examples:
- Me golpeé el dedo del pie (I stubbed my toe)
- Me duele el corazón (My heart aches)
Possessive Adjectives
There are times in the Spanish language when possessive adjectives are used, mainly when we need to clear things up and avoid ambiguity.
For example, Su cabello es tan brillante (Her hair is so shiny) the possessive adjective su is used to make it clear that it is her hair that is shiny.
More examples:
- Sus riñón no funciona (His kidney doesn’t work).
- Limpia tu oído (Clean your ear).
Common Phrases of Body Parts
In the English language, there are phrases and idioms/sayings that spice up a conversation or written piece. For example, when you tell someone to “Break a leg” you are not wishing ill on them, but ironically, you are wishing them good luck! The Spanish language is no different.
Here are some Spanish phrases and idioms about body parts to freshen up your conversational skills!
Phrases to try out!
English | Spanish |
---|---|
Brush your teeth | Cepíllate los dientes |
Wash your hands | Lava tus manos |
I broke my (body part) | Me rompí (body part) |
My (body part) hurts | Me duele (singular body part) |
Open your eyes | Abre los ojos |
Idioms to try out!
English | Spanish |
---|---|
Make your mouth water | Hacerse la boca agua |
Lend someone a hand | Echar una mano a alguien |
Having a golden heart. | Tener un corazón de oro |
Like nail & flesh | Como uña y carne |
To have no filter, speak your mind | No tener pelos en la lengua |
Spanish Body Parts Pop Quiz!
I hope you have been paying attention because it is time for a quiz! This quiz consist of 5 questions, see how well you know your body part names in Spanish. Good luck!
Question 1
The name for Tongue in Spanish is _____.
Question 2
The name for Stomach in Spanish is _____.
Question 3
The name for Thumb in Spanish is _____.
Question 4
The name for Mustache in Spanish is _____.
Question 5
The name for Bellybutton in Spanish is _____.
How did you do? Answers are located at the conclusion!
Now you know the Spanish words for body parts, from your head to your toe!
Learning the names of body parts in Spanish from head to toe may take some time, but it is definitely worth having in your vocabulary, just like learning how to say how are you in Spanish! If you still struggle with learning these names, or anything related to the Spanish language, finding a good Spanish learning app will set you on the right path!
If you continue to struggle, don’t quit! The easiest way of becoming a bonafide Spanish speaker (or any language for that matter) is by getting an online tutor! At AmazingTalker, we have amazing and professional tutors that will help you reach your language-learning goals in no time! You can even customize your lessons and plan your session according to YOUR schedule! Very handy if you ask us. All of this and more, at AmazingTalker!
Quiz answers:
Question 1
The name for Tongue in Spanish is Lengua
Question 2
The name for Stomach in Spanish is Estómago
Question 3
The name for Thumb in Spanish is Pulgar
Question 4
The name for Mustache in Spanish is Bigote
Question 5
The name for Bellybutton in Spanish is Ombligo