Who doesn’t include the parts of the body in everyday speech? In fact these words are helpful in many situations, including sports, illnesses and when having a check-up at the doctor’s.
| Cabeza “head” | Parte superior “upper body” | Parte inferior “lower body” |
| cara “face” cerebro “brain” frente “forehead” nariz “ nose” ojos “eyes” mejilla “cheek” boca “nouth” dientes “teeth” lengua “tongue” | cuello “neck” hombros “shoulders” espalda “back” brazos “arms” codo “elbow” mano “hands” dedos “fingers” pecho “chest” abdomen “abs” ombligo “navel” | cintura “waist” cadera “hips” piernas “legs” rodilla “Knees” Pantorrilla “calf” tobillo “ ankle” pie “foot” talon “heel” dedo “toe” |
Useful key points
Take into consideration that when we refer to parts of the body in Spanish, we generally use definite articles (el, la, los, las) rather than possessive adjectives. To give you an idea:
“Tengo un dolor en la mano.”>”I have a pain in the hand.”
“Me duele el pie.> “My foot hurts.”
“Proteje la mano con guantes.> “Protect your hands with gloves.”
Imperatives with the body
Let’s focus on how to use the parts of the body in a communicative and memorable context. The most meaningful situation is when the imperatives are used for giving instructions. For example, “Mueve los hombros” > “Move your shoulders”, “Abre la boca” > “Open your mouth”, “Levanta la mano” > “Raise your hand”, “Estira los brazos” > “Stretch out your arms” or else “Relaja el cuello” > “Relax your neck” and so forth.
Some fixed phrases with parts of the body
Besides knowing the parts of the body in Spanish, there are expressions that go along with the theme. Take for example, “Me duele la cabeza” > “My head hurts” when you have a headache, or when you say “Usa la cabeza” > “Use your head” to tell someone to think.
Now you are able not only to identify vocabulary about the parts of the body, but also to use them in communicative situations. At Bright Lingua you can strengthen your Spanish skills and expand your repertoire in meaningful situations which will enable you to master this language.