Naming The Parts Of The Body In Spanish

• The article teaches key words of Spanish body vocabulary across two groups: parts of the face (ojo, nariz, boca, oreja, etc.) and the wider body (cabeza, brazo, pierna, mano, pie, espalda, pecho, etc.).

• It highlights a key grammar tip: Spanish often uses definite articles with body parts instead of possessives (Me duele la cabeza; Él cerró los ojos), unless clarity is needed.

• The list includes useful nuances that help avoid common mix-ups while building functional, real-world vocabulary.

You might see your body as a temple, an earthly vessel for the soul, or (in the words of John Mayer) a wonderland. However you view it, your body is your most precious possession, and we’ve all got one — and only one. When you learn Spanish, it only makes sense that you’d need to know how to talk about body parts in Spanish, as the body is universal subject matter for speakers of all languages.

There are plenty of scenarios when you could need to talk about body parts in Spanish. Maybe you’re surfing in Costa Rica and you want to understand what the instructor says when he tells you where to place las manos and los pies. Or, heaven forbid, you find yourself in the doctor’s office or the hospital — let’s hope it’s not after a nasty surfing accident — and you need to describe exactly where on your body you feel el dolor. Across languages, many idioms use the names of body parts. Regardless of the circumstances, needing to learn the Spanish words for body parts is a no-brainer.

Keep reading to learn how to name the human body parts in Spanish. (If you’re looking for some colloquial terms for more risqué body parts, though, you’ll need to look elsewhere.)

How to Use Definite Articles to Talk About Spanish Body Parts

An important grammar note about the body parts in Spanish: Spanish speakers are more likely to use the definite articles el, la, los and las (all meaning “the”) in places where English speakers would use possessive pronouns like “my,” “your” and “their.” Spanish is a gendered language, so you would use el and los for masculine nouns and la and las for feminine nouns.

So, if you wanted to say, “My head hurts,” or “He closed his eyes,” you’d say Me duele la cabeza and Él cerró los ojos. (If the context requires that you specify whom exactly you’re talking about, however, you can choose to use possessive pronouns like mi, tu or su to make it clear.)

Let’s start with a quick video about the various parts of your face, and then move on to all the other parts of the body. Each section includes a vocabulary list with pronunciation for each of the words and phrases.

Names of the Parts Of The Face In Spanish

Here is the vocab list for parts of the face:

face — la cara [la KAH-rah]

eye — el ojo [el OH-hoh]

nose — la nariz [la nah-REES]

forehead — la frente [la FREHN-teh]

eyebrow — la ceja [la SEH-hah]

mouth — la boca [la BOH-kah]

tooth — el diente [el DYEN-teh]

tongue — la lengua [la LEN-gwah]

lip — el labio [el LAH-byoh]

ear — la oreja [la oh-REH-hah]

chin — la barbilla [la bar-BEE-yah]

cheek — la mejilla [la meh-HEE-yah]

Names of the Body Parts and Internal Organs In Spanish

Here is the vocabulary list for important body parts and internal organs:

body — el cuerpo [el KWEHR-poh]

parts of the body — las partes del cuerpo [la PAR-teh del KWEHR-poh]

head — la cabeza [la kah-BEH-sah]

brain — el cerebro [el seh-REH-broh]

skin — la piel [la PYEHL]

hair — el pelo [el PEH-loh]

neck — el cuello [el KWEH-yoh]

throat — la garganta [la gar-GAHN-tah]

arm — el brazo [el BRAH-soh]

leg — la pierna [la PYER-nah]

hand — la mano [la MAH-noh]

finger — el dedo [el DEH-doh]

foot — el pie [el PYEH]

toe — el dedo del pie [el DEH-doh del PYEH]

knee — la rodilla [la roh-DEE-yah]

elbow — el codo [el KOH-doh]

ankle — el tobillo [el toh-BEE-yoh]

wrist — la muñeca [la moo-NYEH-kah]

chest — el pecho [el PEH-choh]

back — la espalda [la ehs-PAHL-dah]

waist — la cintura [la seen-TOO-rah]

stomach — la barriga [la bah-REE-gah]

shoulder — el hombro [el OM-broh]

Whether you're visiting a Spanish-speaking country or conversing with native Spanish speakers locally, or just interested in the language and culture, the words and phrases listed are sure to come in handy.

Now that you know the Spanish vocabulary for body parts and how to talk about them, check out our other Spanish language learning resources to learn and practice all kinds of useful words. With enough practice, you'll soon be able to speak Spanish with confidence.