Body Parts Vocabulary in Spanish
Learn the Spanish translation for various body parts. Enhance your vocabulary in an interesting and engaging way!
aborto
abortion
The Spanish term 'aborto' corresponds to the term 'abortion' in English. It commonly refers to the termination of a pregnancy before it can survive independently, sometimes medically induced for a range of reasons, such as preserving the life or health of the mother or due to the fetus's poor health or prognosis. It can also occur spontaneously, in which case it is commonly referred to as a miscarriage. The term applies to a broad range of scenarios under the umbrella of pregnancy termination before survival outside the uterus is possible. It is a term used in both medical and social contexts.
abrazar
embrace
The Spanish word 'abrazar' translates to 'embrace' in English. It is a verb which describes the action of holding someone closely in one's arms, especially as a way of expressing affection. It also signifies the act of accepting or supporting a belief, a cause or a change willingly and enthusiastically. The word 'abrazar' can be used in various scenarios depending on the context. For instance, 'Ella quiere abrazar a su amiga', translates to 'She wants to embrace her friend'.
acariciar
caress
The Spanish word 'acariciar' translates to 'caress' in English. It is a verb, used often in romantic context, but can also widely be applied to express a gentle touch or stroke, usually conveying affection or comfort. Examples of its application in a sentence are, 'Me gusta acariciar a mi perro' in Spanish translates to 'I like to caress my dog' in English.
agacharse
bend down
The Spanish term 'agacharse' can be translated into English as 'bend down'. The verb 'agacharse' is reflexive and is commonly used to indicate the action of lowering one's upper body towards the ground. It is often used when one is picking up something from the ground or lowering oneself to avoid something overhead.
aguantar
put up with
The Spanish word 'aguantar' is often used in various contexts, but the core English equivalent is 'put up with'. It communicates a sense of endurance, toleration or patience in face of difficulty. It is an active verb and it may be used to describe someone's ability to tolerate an annoying situation or individual. Additionally, 'aguantar' can imply a physical act of holding up, carrying, or supporting something heavy.
alzar la mirada
look up
The Spanish phrase 'alzar la mirada' translates to 'look up' in English. It's often used to suggest a shifting of one's attention or gaze upward, such as looking at the sky or observing something above one's usual line of sight. Literal translations may yield phrases 'raise the gaze' or 'lift the look', but the common English equivalent is 'look up'.
andar
walk
The Spanish word 'andar' is commonly used to mean 'walk' in English. It refers to the activity of moving by putting one foot in front of the other, as humans do in their daily life. Andar can also be used in a general sense referring to the ability of something or someone to function or to progress. For instance, 'Esta máquina no anda bien.' translates to 'This machine doesn't work well.'
aparato digestivo
digestive tract
The term 'aparato digestivo' in Spanish refers to the 'digestive tract' in English. It is a complex system in the body that helps process food and absorb its nutrients. This system includes various organs such as the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum. Other accessory organs like the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are also part of this system. In essence, the 'aparato digestivo' breaks down food, absorbs nutrients that the body needs for energy, growth, and cell repair, and rids the body of waste products.
aplaudir
applaud
The Spanish verb 'aplaudir' translates to 'applaud' in English. This word is commonly used to express appreciation or admiration for an achievement or performance in both languages. For example, the audience might 'aplaudir' or 'applaud' after a concert, movie, or theater performance. The action related to it involves clapping the hands together.
arquear las cejas
arch the eyebrows
'Arquear las cejas' is a Spanish phrase that translates to 'arch the eyebrows' in English. It can be used in a variety of contexts, often to convey surprise, skepticism, or disbelief. Similar to English, the phrase can describe a physical action, that is, literally arching one's eyebrows; it can also represent an emotional response or facial expression associated with the aforementioned feelings. Hence, this phrase is not limited to a strict interpretation but rather is used largely to express subtle emotions and reactions.
arrugar la frente
wrinkle your forehead
The Spanish phrase 'arrugar la frente' directly translates to 'wrinkle your forehead' in English. This phrase is typically used to describe the action of furrowing one's brow, often done when someone is confused, thinking deeply, or worried. It is a descriptive phrase that can add depth to your understanding of Spanish idiomatic expressions.
arrugar la nariz
wrinkle your nose
The Spanish phrase 'arrugar la nariz' translates to 'wrinkle your nose' in English. It describes the action of scrunching up your nose, typically due to a strong, often unpleasant, smell or as a physical indication of dislike, annoyance or skepticism towards something.
arteria
artery
The Spanish word 'arteria' translates to 'artery' in English. An artery, or 'arteria', is a large tubular structure in the body that carries blood away from the heart. It is a vital part of the circulatory system, transporting oxygenated blood (except in the case of the pulmonary artery) to the body's cells, tissues, and organs. The term 'arteria' is often used in medical and health contexts.
articulación
joint
The Spanish word 'articulación' translates to 'joint' in English. This term can refer to the structural connection between two bones in the body, commonly allowing for mobility and motion, such as the knee, elbow, or hip. It can also mean the point where two things are joined, indicating their connection or relationship. This term is used across several contexts, including biology, construction, and mechanics, reflecting the broad use of the concept of joining or linking items together.
bajar
Get down.
The Spanish word 'bajar' primarily translates to 'get down' in English. It is a verb used to describe the action of descending or coming down from a higher position to a lower one. For instance, it can be used in contexts like getting down from a vehicle, lowering volume or intensity, or even going downstairs. It is important to note that the word 'bajar' can have variant meanings depending on the context in which it is used.
bajar la cabeza
lower your head
The Spanish phrase 'bajar la cabeza' translates to 'lower your head' in English. It is often used as an instruction or an idiomatic expression symbolizing submission or deference. In physical context, 'bajar la cabeza' may be used to prevent a possible injury or to enable someone to perform a specific action. In a conceptual or symbolic sense, it can imply acknowledging superiority or admitting a mistake, thus lowering one's head in humility.
bajar la mirada
to look down
The Spanish phrase 'bajar la mirada' translates to 'to look down' in English. This is typically used in contexts where a person is asked to drop their gaze or avert their eyes, usually as a sign of respect, shyness, or submission. It does not physically mean lowering one's head, but rather, it indicates the direction of the gaze. For instance, in some cultures, it's a common habit to 'bajar la mirada' when speaking to someone of higher authority or older age as a show of respect.
bajar las manos
put your hands down
The Spanish phrase 'bajar las manos' translates to 'put your hands down' in English. It is a directive phrase typically used to tell someone to lower their hands from a raised position. Similarly, it may also be used metaphorically to tell someone to give up or quit a conflictive situation. With its literal meaning being 'to lower the hands', this phrase might come handy in situations involving physical activities, arguments, or energetic discussions.
bajar los brazos
lower your arms
The Spanish phrase 'bajar los brazos' translates to 'lower your arms' in English. This can be used in both literal contexts such as when giving instructions or commands on body movements. It's also used metaphorically in the Spanish language to represent the act of giving up or surrendering in a difficult situation.
barbilla
chin
The Spanish word 'barbilla' translates to 'chin' in English. This is the part of the body's anatomy located at the bottom of the face, directly below the mouth and to the front of the neck. In the context of human physical appearance, a person's chin shape and size can greatly vary. It serves a pivotal role in several human expressions and functions, such as talking, expressing emotion, and eating.
barriga
belly
The Spanish word 'barriga' is used to refer to the abdomen area of a body, commonly known as 'belly' in English. One may use it to indicate the stomach or tummy of humans and animals. It is a noun and its use can be both literal, such as when referring to physical pain or size of the stomach, and metaphorical, similar to the English phrase 'butterflies in your belly.'
besar
kiss
The Spanish word 'besar' translates to 'kiss' in English. It is primarily used as a verb in Spanish, similar to the English equivalent. It's part of the basic romantic terminology. When 'besar' is used in a sentence, it often refers to the physical act of kissing. It also implies affection and intimacy between individuals.
bostezar
yawn
The Spanish word 'bostezar' translates to 'yawn' in English. It is a verb that indicates the act of opening one's mouth wide, typically involuntarily due to tiredness or boredom.
brazo
arm
The word 'brazo' in Spanish translates to 'arm' in English. It is a noun and refers to the part of the human body that extends from the shoulder to the hand. This word is often used in daily conversations, expressions and instructions, making it a valuable word to understand and use while learning Spanish.
cara
face
The word 'cara' in Spanish translates to 'face' in English. It is widely used in the same context as it is in English, to refer to the front part of a person's head from the forehead to the chin, or the corresponding part in animals. Moreover, 'cara' can also be used metaphorically in Spanish to express notions such as shamelessness (having 'cara dura'), costliness ('cara' as in expensive), or aspects of playing cards ('cara' as the face side of the card).
Example sentences with cara →ceja
eyebrow
The Spanish word 'ceja' is translated into English as 'eyebrow'. It pertains to the thin strip of hair above each of your eyes, which follows the shape of the edge of the upper eyelid. Eyebrows are a prominent feature in our facial expressions and serve to prevent sweat, water, and other debris from falling down into the eye socket.
cerebro
brain
The word 'cerebro' is used to refer to the brain in Spanish. It is typically used in a similar context as in English, referring to the organ inside your head that controls thought, memory, feelings, and activity.
Example sentences with cerebro →cesárea
Caesarean section
The Spanish word 'cesárea' translates to 'Caesarean section' in English. The term 'Caesarean section' refers to a surgical procedure used to deliver one or more babies, typically used when a vaginal delivery would put the baby or mother at risk. It is derived from the Latin 'caesus' (meaning to cut), not directly from the historical figure Julius Caesar, as is commonly supposed. The use of 'cesárea' in Spanish matches this usage, indicating a birthing method noting the surgical incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus.
cintura
waist
The Spanish word 'cintura' translates to 'waist' in English. In Spanish, it is predominantly used to refer to the part of the human body between the ribs and hips, which is often narrower than the areas directly above and below it. This term can be used in various contexts such as clothing sizes, health or fitness discussions, and descriptions of physical appearances.
codo
elbow
The Spanish word 'codo' translates to 'elbow' in English. It's a noun used to denote the joint connecting the forearm to the upper arm in the human body, effectively facilitating its bending and extending movements. In a broader cultural context, 'codo' may also figuratively imply a turning point or crucial moment in a process or journey, much like how the elbow facilitates change in direction in physical terms.