What Are the Names for Body Parts in Spanish

The names for body parts in Spanish are part of the basic vocabulary any language learner will need. In addition, youll find these simple words very useful right away. Whether youre in a clothing store or a doctors clinic, these words will come quite handy. The Body Parts in Spanish Most of these words are used for the body parts of animals as well as people. However, there are a few exceptions. For instance, el hocico and el pescuezo are terms often used to refer to the nose (snout) and neck (scruff) of animals, not humans. Here are the Spanish words for common body parts: Arm — el brazoBack — la espaldaBackbone — la columna vertebralBrain — el cerebro, el sesoBreast, chest — el pechoButtocks — las nalgasCalf — la pantorrillaEar — el oà ­do, la orejaElbow — el codoEye — el ojoFinger — el dedoFoot — el pieHair — el peloHand — la mano (mano is one of the very few and the most common of the Spanish nouns that are exceptions to the main gender rule of Spanish by being feminine even though ending in o.)Head — la cabezaHeart — el corazà ³nHip — la caderaIntestine — el intestinoKnee — la rodillaLeg — la piernaLiver — el hà ­gadoMouth — la bocaMuscle — el mà ºsculoNeck — el cuelloNose — la narizShoulder — el hombroSkin — la pielStomach (abdomen) — el vientreStomach (internal organ) — el està ³magoThigh — el musloThroat — la gargantaToe â€⠀ el dedo del pie (note that dedo can refer to fingers  or toes; it comes from the same Latin word from which we get digit, which can also refer to fingers or toes. If you need to be more specific than dedo, you can use dedo de la mano for a finger and dedo del pie for a toe.)Tongue — la lenguaTooth — el diente, la muela The Grammar of Body Parts The names of body parts are used much the same as they are in Spanish as in English, but with one significant difference. In Spanish, names of parts of the body are frequently preceded by the definite article (el, la, los or las, meaning the) instead of possessive adjectives (such as mi for my and tu for your). In most cases, the possessive adjective is used only where the context doesnt make clear whose body is being referred to. For example:  ¡Abre los ojos! (Open your eyes!) ¡Cierre la boca! (Shut your mouth!)Él bajà ³ la cabeza para orar. (He bowed his head to pray.) The possessive adjective is used when needed to avoid ambiguity. Me gustan tus ojos. (I like your eyes.)Acerquà © mi mano a su cabeza. (I moved my hand close to his head.) Although English often omits the definite article when referring to body parts, they are usually retained in Spanish when a possessive adjective is not used. Tengo el pelo negro. (I have black hair.)Prefiero los ojos verdes. (I prefer green eyes.) English Words Related to Spanish Names of Body Parts Several of the Spanish words in the list above come from the same Latin root as English words that arent used directly for body parts. You can use some of these connections to help you remember the words: To embrace, abrazar in Spanish, means literally to enclose  someone or something with arms (brazos).Something cerebral (related to cerebro) requires use of your brain.You use the auditory (related to oà ­do) capability of your ear to hear.Ocular things are related to the eye (ojo).Our word gargantuan comes from a fictional character who used his throat (garganta) by eating a lot.To do something by hand (mano) is to do it manually.Something that goes under your tongue (lengua) is sublingual. Also, both lengua and tongue can refer to a language.