How to say 80 important face and body parts in Spanish
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They say learning a new language is like acquiring a new soul… but how will you do that if you can’t say the body parts in that language?
If you’re trying to learn the parts of the body in Spanish, this guide is for you. Whether you just want to learn a few basic body parts in Spanish or need to learn how to say specific organs for a visit to the doctor’s office, we’ve got you covered.
Even if you don’t even know how to say body in Spanish, we’ll help you become a pro in no time! Our guide includes pronunciation help as well, so you can say each part of the body in Spanish without sounding like a foreigner.
We’ll also cover some songs and fun games to help you study. Are you ready? ¡Vámonos!
Learn the head and body parts in Spanish with this free poster.
Why learn about Spanish body parts
Even if you’re not really interested in human anatomy, learning how to say the human body parts in Spanish is an essential part of every Spanish learner’s journey. Here are some great reasons to study Spanish body part names.
1. Facilitating doctor appointments
Nobody likes going to the doctor’s office, especially if you have to communicate in a language that you don’t fully master. However, one of the best ways to improve your Spanish is by putting yourself in situations that will push you out of your comfort zone. Even if you didn’t choose to get sick, you should try to think of this as an opportunity to expand your Spanish knowledge!
Luckily, you probably already know where the pain is or might have a hunch of what might be wrong with you. So, you’ll only have to memorize a handful of parts to make your appointment go significantly smoother!
2. Understanding common phrases and sayings
If you’ve been learning Spanish for a while, you probably already know that speakers of the language love using idioms, phrases and slang in Spanish. Many of them include body parts!
If you know the body part in question, you’ll have a much easier time understanding the phrase.
3. Ordering at the supermarket
Okay, yes, the human body does not have wings or tails, but it does have legs, thighs, breasts, and many other body parts in common with butcher cuts. Assuming you already know some animal vocabulary in Spanish (which is definitely worth studying!), you will be able to buy from the supermarket with ease.
Learn the head and body parts in Spanish with this free poster
For those of you who don’t like traditional study methods, we get you. Print this poster and stick it to your fridge for a great way to learn the parts of the body that don’t involve long hours at the library. I'm ready!
How to say “body” in Spanish
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Let’s start with the very basics: how to say body in Spanish. The word for body in Spanish is cuerpo (ˈkwɛɾpo) but keep in mind that you will almost always accompany it with an article: el cuerpo.
This is because most sentences where your body is involved will include a reflexive verb. If your Spanish lessons haven’t gotten to those yet, do not worry. Just know that a reflexive verb includes the subject in the verb.
So, a sentence like “My body hurts” will be translated as Me duele el cuerpo. Notice how you say el cuerpo instead of mi cuerpo? That’s because me duele is a reflexive verb, so the “my” part is already included. No need to say mi cuerpo in most cases!
The same is true for other body parts, so keep this in mind as we move on to review them.
Head in Spanish
Another important thing to learn is how to say head in Spanish. Not only is the head arguably the most important part of the body, but it is also a common body part for expressions. It’s also a part of many words that you may expect, like headache (dolor de cabeza) and some words you’d never expect, like puzzle (rompecabezas).
Without further ado, the Spanish word for head is cabeza (kaˈβesa). This is a feminine word, so its corresponding article will be feminine too: la cabeza.
Let’s dive into some of the parts of la cabeza.
Face parts in Spanish
Here are all the parts of the face in Spanish you should know to easily navigate any Spanish conversation about the face.
We’ve included the phonetic pronunciation as well as some regional variations as well so you can speak like it was your first language!
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation | Regional variations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | La Cabeza | la kaˈβesa | El coco, la testa, la mollera, la calabaza, la cholla |
| Face | La Cara | la ˈkaɾa | La faz, el rostro, el haz, la jeta |
| Ears | Las Orejas | las oˈɾexas | Los oídos |
| Eyes | Los Ojos | los ˈoxos | - |
| Nose | La Nariz | la naˈɾis | - |
| Chin | La Barbilla | la βaɾˈβiʝa | La barba, la papada |
| Cheeks | Los Cachetes | los kaˈʧɛtes | - |
| Forehead | La Frente | la ˈfɾɛ̃nte | - |
| Jaw | La Quijada | la kiˈxaða | La mandíbula |
| Eyebrows | Las Cejas | las ˈsexas | - |
| Eyelashes | Las Pestañas | las pɛsˈtaɲas | - |
| Temple | Las sienes | las ˈsjenes | Las templas, el temporal, el hueso temporal |
| Nostril | Las fosas nasales | las ˈfosas̬ naˈsales | - |
| Lips | Los labios | los̬ ˈlaβjos | - |
| Mouth | La boca | la ˈβoka | El morro, el hocico, el pico |
| Teeth/Tooth | El diente / Los dientes | ɛl ˈdjɛ̃nte | los̬ ˈðjɛ̃ntes | Los aferres, las muerdas, las claves |
| Tongue | La lengua | la ˈlɛ̃nɡwa | El sinhueso |
| Hair | El cabello / El pelo | ɛl kaˈβeʝo | ɛl ˈpelo | La cabellera, la greña, la melena |
| Neck | El cuello | ɛl ˈkweʝo | El pescuezo, el cogote, el gollete, la garganta |
More body parts in Spanish
Now that you’ve learned the parts of the face in Spanish, let’s put some flesh on the bones of this article (wink, wink) by learning about limbs, anatomy and parts. As usual, keep an eye on the phonetic spelling and regional variations so you never get caught off guard.
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation | Regional variations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legs | Las piernas | las ˈpjɛɾnas | Las extremidades, los miembros |
| Right leg | La pierna derecha | la ˈpjɛɾna ðɛˈɾeʧa | - |
| Left leg | La pierna izquierda | la ˈpjɛɾna i̯sˈkjɛɾða | |
| Hands | Las manos | las̬ ˈmanos | - |
| Right hand | La mano derecha | la ˈmano ðɛˈɾeʧa | - |
| Left hand | La mano izquierda | la ˈmano i̯sˈkjɛɾða | - |
| Foot/feet | El pie / Los pies | ɛl ˈpje | los ˈpjes | El pinrel, las patas |
| Right foot | El pie derecho | ɛl ˈpje ðɛˈɾeʧo | - |
| Left foot | El pie izquierdo | ɛl ˈpje i̯sˈkjɛɾðo | - |
| Shoulders | Los hombros | los ˈõmbɾos | Las hombreras |
| Right shoulder | El hombro derecho | ɛl ˈõmbɾo ðɛˈɾeʧo | - |
| Left shoulder | El hombro izquierdo | ɛl ˈõmbɾo i̯sˈkjɛɾðo | - |
| Toes | Los dedos de los pies | los̬ ˈðeðos̬ ðe los ˈpjes | - |
| Elbow | El codo | ɛl ˈkoðo | El codillo |
| Forearm | El antebrazo | ɛl ãnteˈβɾaso | - |
| Wrist | La muñeca | la muˈɲeka | El carpo |
| Fingers | Los dedos | los̬ ˈðeðos | Los dátiles |
| Thumb | El pulgar | ɛl pulˈɣaɾ | - |
| Index/Pointer Finger | El dedo índice | ɛl ˈdeðo ˈĩndise | - |
| Middle Finger | El dedo medio | ɛl ˈdeðo ˈmeðjo | - |
| Ring Finger | El dedo anular | ɛl ˈdeðo anuˈlaɾ | |
| Pinky Finger | El meñique | ɛl meˈɲike | - |
| Knuckles | Los nudillos | los̬ nuˈðiʝos | - |
| Fingernails | Las uñas | las ˈuɲas | - |
| Fingertips | Las puntas de los dedos | las ˈpũntas̬ ðe los̬ ˈðeðos | - |
| Hip | La cadera | la kaˈðɛɾa | - |
| Bum | Los glúteos | los̬ ˈɣluteos | Las nalgas, las pompas, la cola, el trasero, las pompis |
| Thigh | El muslo | ɛl ˈmus̬lo | - |
| Knee | La rodilla | la roˈðiʝa | - |
| Calf | La pantorrilla | la pãntoˈriʝa | - |
| Ankle | El tobillo | ɛl toˈβiʝo | - |
| Heel | El talón | ɛl taˈlõn | - |
| Waist | La cintura | la sĩnˈtuɾa | El talle |
| Abs | Las abdominales | las aβðomiˈnales | - |
| Breast | Los senos | los ˈsenos | Los bustos, las tetas, el pecho |
| Chest | El pecho | ɛl ˈpeʧo | - |
| Skin | La piel | la ˈpjɛl | El cuero, el pellejo, la badana |
Inside body parts in Spanish
Organs and other internal body parts may not sound glamorous, but these are often the most commonly-used phrases for them.
After all, what’s a phrase about love without mentioning the heart? Learn all about inside body parts in Spanish from our table below.
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation | Regional variations |
| Brain | El cerebro | ɛl sɛˈɾeβɾo | - |
| Heart | El corazón | ɛl koɾaˈsõn | - |
| Lungs | Los pulmones | los pulˈmones | - |
| Muscle | Los músculos | los̬ ˈmuskulos | - |
| Stomach | El estómago | ɛl ɛsˈtomaɣo | La barriga, el baúl, la panza, el vientre |
| Bones | Los huesos | los ˈwesos | - |
| Liver | El hígado | ɛl ˈiɣaðo | - |
| Kidneys | Los riñones | los̬ riˈɲones | - |
| Ribs | Las costillas | las kosˈtiʝas | - |
| Spine | La columna vertebral | la koˈlũmna βɛɾteˈβɾal | La espina vertebral |
| Blood | La sangre | la ˈsãnɡɾe | - |
| Veins | Las venas | las̬ ˈβenas | - |
| Arteries | Las arterias | las aɾˈtɛɾjas | - |
| Esophagus | El esófago | ɛl eˈsofaɣo | - |
| Gallbladder | La vesícula | la βeˈsikula | - |
| Pancreas | El páncreas | ɛl ˈpãnkɾeas | - |
| Bladder | La vejiga | la βeˈxiɣa | - |
| Appendix | El apéndice | ɛl aˈpɛ̃ndise | - |
| Tonsils | Las anginas | las ãnˈxinas | - |
| Trachea | La tráquea | la ˈtɾakea | - |
| Spleen | El bazo | ɛl ˈβaso | - |
| Large intestine | El intestino grueso | ɛl ĩntɛsˈtino ˈɣɾweso | - |
| Small intestine | El intestino delgado | ɛl ĩntɛsˈtino ðɛlˈɣaðo | - |
| Colon | El colon | ɛl ˈkolõn | - |
Spanish songs about the body
We get it, memorizing dozens of body parts in a new language is hard. With that said, studying Spanish never has to be boring! If you’re a musically-inclined learner, then there’s no better way for you to study than with Spanish songs about body parts.
Si Estás Feliz - Super Simple Español
If you’re a native English speaker, you probably remember the popular nursery rhyme “if you’re happy and you know it.” Si estás feliz is the Spanish equivalent of this song, and just like the English version, it will teach you what to do with your body if you’re happy (and you know it!).
El baile del cuerpo - COREOKIDS
If you’re more into dancing than singing, this song is perfect for you. From head to toes, this dance is sure to get you moving and engaging your body!
ADMV - Maluma
If you’re not into children’s music—we got you. Maluma is a hugely popular singer-songwriter who makes fiercely emotional Spanish-language music. His song AMDV (short for Amor De Mi Vida) is a must for romantics and, although it’s not explicitly about body parts, it does talk about all the body parts and how he’s still going to love his girl even after all their body parts grow old.
Body-related Spanish words, expressions and sayings
When we said there are many Spanish phrases and sayings that involve body parts, we meant it. Below are some of the most important phrases and words involving body parts.
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
| Nobody | Nadie | ˈnaðje |
| Somebody | Alguien | ˈalɣjɛ̃n |
| Everybody | Todos | ˈtoðos |
| Bodyguard | Guardaespaldas | ɡwaɾðaɛsˈpaldas |
| Homebody | Hogareño | oɣaˈɾeɲo |
| Evil eye | Aojo | aˈoxo |
| Twist my arm | Dar mi brazo a torcer | ˈdaɾ mi ˈβɾaso a toɾˈsɛɾ |
| Fed up | Estar hasta la nariz | ɛsˈtaɾ ˈasta la naˈɾis |
| Get something off your chest | Sacar algo del pecho | saˈkaɾ ˈalɣo ðɛl ˈpeʧo |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Cuesta un ojo de la cara | ˈkwɛsta u̯n ˈoxo ðe la ˈkaɾa |
| Lend someone a hand | Echar la mano a alguien | eˈʧaɾ la ˈmano a ˈalɣjɛ̃n |
| Give an inch, take a mile | Te doy la mano y me tomas el brazo | te ˈðoi̯ la ˈmano i̯ me ˈtomas ɛl ˈβɾaso |
| To be the center of attention | Ser el ombligo del mundo | ˈsɛɾ ɛl õmˈbliɣo ðɛl ˈmũndo |
| To not have a filter | No tener pelos en la lengua | ˈno teˈnɛɾ ˈpelos ɛ̃n la ˈlɛ̃nɡwa |
| To be cheap | Ser codo | ˈsɛɾ ˈkoðo |
| To mess up | Meter la pata | mɛˈtɛɾ la ˈpata |
| To be stubborn | Ser de cabeza dura | ˈsɛɾ ðe kaˈβesa ˈðuɾa |
| Eye for an eye | Ojo por ojo | ˈoxo poɾ ˈoxo |
| Full tummy, happy heart | Barriga llena, corazón contento | baˈriɣa ˈʝena | koɾaˈsõn kõnˈtɛ̃nto |
Tips for learning Spanish body parts
If songs aren’t your thing, there are many other ways to easily memorize Spanish anatomy vocabulary. Here are a few effective and simple ways to learn body parts in Spanish.
1. Make it a game
There are so many great games you can play to memorize limbs and anatomy. Some of our favorites are:
- Mr. Potato Head. This classic game incorporates almost all of the most important body parts: arms, eyes, mouth, nose, and more. Who cares if it’s a potato? His human body parts can help us learn about limbs!
- Operation. This fun board game is available in Spanish as Operando. If you cannot find a Spanish-language Operando, simply use flashcards to make your own playing cards with Spanish body parts!
- Monster drawings. Make a body parts in Spanish list and cut it up so that each body part is its own piece of paper. Put them in a cup and then draw some (up to you to decide how many!) body parts. Then you’ll have to draw a monster with only the body parts you drew! This can be a fun group game—the best monster wins!
2. Create fun worksheets
Creating worksheets can be a great way to test your knowledge and increase your chances of memorizing the body parts in the long term. You can find many great worksheets on the internet where you fill in the blanks for different body parts. Here are two great examples for a body worksheet and a face worksheet!
Hold your head high and keep studying!
Learning a new language does require you to put in effort and time, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right study tools, you will be able to master the body parts in Spanish.
Remember to always keep things fun and light in order to avoid getting dolor de cabeza from studying!
We hope you found this guide useful, and make sure to fill out the form below for more help learning Spanish! Good luck with your studies, and break a leg!
Next up, you might want to master all the various ways you can say hi in Spanish or conquer the Spanish alphabet.
Want even more? Check out our learning Spanish blog.
