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Body parts in Spanish: 50 words with articles and examples

Body in Spanish is el cuerpo, and body parts are las partes del cuerpo. Start with la cabeza, la cara, el ojo, la mano, la rodilla, and el pie. This guide gives exactly 50 beginner-friendly terms with articles, short examples, regional notes, and the grammar you need for everyday routines, exercise, and simple health conversations.

50 body-part words A1 vocabulary copy-ready group

Warm Spanish body-parts study scene with a wooden figure, picture cards for an eye, ear, heart, knee, and foot, a phone audio flashcard, notebook, and headphones
Move from head to toe while linking each Spanish word to a picture, sound, and short action.

body parts in Spanish

Which body parts in Spanish should a beginner learn first?

Learn the visible parts you use in daily instructions first: head and face, eyes and ears, arms and hands, torso, legs, and feet. Then add a few common internal parts such as el corazón, los pulmones, and el cerebro. These 50 words cover the vocabulary most useful for describing a person, following movement instructions, and saying where something hurts.

Memorise each noun with its article: la cabeza, el cuello, la mano, la rodilla. The article reveals gender, and it also prepares you for natural sentences such as Me duele la cabeza and Levanta el brazo.

Use the definite article when the owner is already clear

Spanish normally uses el, la, los, or las with body parts after reflexive verbs, indirect-object pronouns, and movement instructions: Me lavo las manos, Me duele la espalda, Cierra los ojos. English often uses my or your in the same situations.

Keep useful distinctions together: la oreja is the visible outer ear, while el oído is the hearing organ or sense; el dedo is a finger, and el dedo del pie is a toe. Pelo and cabello both mean hair, while cachete is a regional alternative to mejilla for cheek.

50 essential body parts in Spanish with examples

Each row includes the Spanish term, a natural translation, one short example, and a practical beginner note.

50 essential Spanish body-part words for beginners
Spanish Translation Example Beginner note
el cuerpo body El cuerpo necesita descanso. Core body word; learn it with the article.
la cabeza head Me duele la cabeza. Core body word; learn it with the article.
la cara face Lávate la cara. Core body word; learn it with the article.
el pelo / el cabello hair Tiene el pelo corto. Pelo and cabello are both widely understood for hair.
la piel skin La piel protege el cuerpo. Piel is feminine and usually appears with la.
el cuello neck Mueve el cuello despacio. Core body word; learn it with the article.
la garganta throat Me duele la garganta. Garganta is the throat; cuello is the neck on the outside.
la frente forehead Tiene una arruga en la frente. Core body word; learn it with the article.
la mejilla / el cachete cheek Tiene un lunar en la mejilla. Mejilla is neutral; cachete is common in parts of Latin America.
la barbilla / el mentón chin Se toca la barbilla. Barbilla and mentón both mean chin; preference varies by region.
el ojo eye Cierra los ojos. A visible facial feature or sense word; learn the singular and plural.
la ceja eyebrow Levanta una ceja. A visible facial feature or sense word; learn the singular and plural.
la pestaña eyelash Tiene las pestañas largas. A visible facial feature or sense word; learn the singular and plural.
la oreja outer ear Lleva un pendiente en la oreja. Oreja is the visible outer ear.
el oído ear; hearing No oigo bien por el oído derecho. Oído is the hearing organ or sense, not only the visible ear.
la nariz nose Respira por la nariz. A visible facial feature or sense word; learn the singular and plural.
la boca mouth Abre la boca. A visible facial feature or sense word; learn the singular and plural.
el labio lip Tiene el labio seco. A visible facial feature or sense word; learn the singular and plural.
el diente tooth Me cepillo los dientes. Diente is one tooth; dientes is the usual plural in daily routines.
la lengua tongue Saca la lengua. A visible facial feature or sense word; learn the singular and plural.
el hombro shoulder Me duele el hombro. Core body word; learn it with the article.
el brazo arm Levanta los brazos. Brazo is the arm; mano is the hand.
el codo elbow Dobla el codo. A joint used in common movement instructions.
la muñeca wrist Lleva un reloj en la muñeca. A joint used in common movement instructions.
la mano hand Lávate las manos. Mano is feminine despite ending in -o: la mano.
el dedo finger Señala con el dedo. Dedo usually means a finger unless del pie is added.
el pulgar thumb Pulsa el botón con el pulgar. Pulgar is the thumb; dedo gordo is also heard informally.
la uña nail Me corto las uñas. Uña can be a fingernail or toenail; context decides.
el pecho chest Respira y abre el pecho. Common external part of the torso; learn it with movement or posture.
la espalda back Mantén la espalda recta. Common external part of the torso; learn it with movement or posture.
el abdomen abdomen El abdomen está tenso. Common external part of the torso; learn it with movement or posture.
el estómago stomach El estómago digiere la comida. Common internal body word useful in basic descriptions.
la barriga / el vientre belly; abdomen Me duele la barriga. Barriga is everyday; vientre is more formal or anatomical.
la cintura waist Gira la cintura. Common external part of the torso; learn it with movement or posture.
la cadera hip Pon las manos en las caderas. Common external part of the torso; learn it with movement or posture.
el corazón heart El corazón late rápido. Common internal body word useful in basic descriptions.
los pulmones lungs Los pulmones necesitan aire. Common internal body word useful in basic descriptions.
el cerebro brain El cerebro controla el cuerpo. Common internal body word useful in basic descriptions.
el hueso bone Tengo un hueso roto. Basic anatomy word often used with injury, movement, or exercise.
el músculo muscle Los músculos necesitan descanso. Basic anatomy word often used with injury, movement, or exercise.
la pierna leg Dobla la pierna. A lower-body word useful in movement and exercise instructions.
el muslo thigh Me duele el muslo. A lower-body word useful in movement and exercise instructions.
la rodilla knee Dobla las rodillas. A joint used in common movement instructions.
la pantorrilla calf La pantorrilla está tensa. A lower-body word useful in movement and exercise instructions.
la espinilla shin Me golpeé la espinilla. A lower-body word useful in movement and exercise instructions.
el tobillo ankle Mueve el tobillo. A joint used in common movement instructions.
el pie foot Apoya los pies en el suelo. Pie is the whole foot; do not confuse it with pierna, the leg.
el talón heel El talón toca el suelo. Pie is the whole foot; do not confuse it with pierna, the leg.
la planta del pie sole of the foot Me pica la planta del pie. Pie is the whole foot; do not confuse it with pierna, the leg.
el dedo del pie toe Me duele un dedo del pie. Spanish says “finger of the foot”: dedo del pie.

Study Spanish body vocabulary in five groups

Ten terms per group create a simple head-to-toe route instead of one long anatomy list.

Body, head, and face

Core words for the body, head, face, hair, skin, neck, throat, forehead, cheek, and chin.

el cuerpo · la cabeza · la cara · el pelo / el cabello · la piel · el cuello · la garganta · la frente · la mejilla / el cachete · la barbilla / el mentón

Eyes, ears, nose, and mouth

Facial details and sense words, including the useful oreja versus oído distinction.

el ojo · la ceja · la pestaña · la oreja · el oído · la nariz · la boca · el labio · el diente · la lengua

Upper body and hands

Shoulders, arms, joints, hands, fingers, nails, chest, and back.

el hombro · el brazo · el codo · la muñeca · la mano · el dedo · el pulgar · la uña · el pecho · la espalda

Torso and internal parts

Abdomen, stomach, waist, hips, heart, lungs, brain, bones, and muscles.

el abdomen · el estómago · la barriga / el vientre · la cintura · la cadera · el corazón · los pulmones · el cerebro · el hueso · el músculo

Legs and feet

Thighs, knees, calves, shins, ankles, feet, heels, soles, and toes.

la pierna · el muslo · la rodilla · la pantorrilla · la espinilla · el tobillo · el pie · el talón · la planta del pie · el dedo del pie

Describe pain, movement, and daily routines naturally

Use doler with an indirect-object pronoun: Me duele la cabeza for one painful part and Me duelen las piernas for several. Tengo dolor en la espalda is another useful neutral pattern for saying where pain is located.

Movement instructions often use an imperative plus the definite article: Levanta los brazos, Dobla la rodilla, Abre la boca. Daily routines follow the same article pattern: Me lavo la cara and Me cepillo los dientes.

Learn regional alternatives for recognition, but choose one active form for speaking. Pelo and cabello are widely understood; mejilla is neutral for cheek, while cachete is frequent in parts of Latin America.

Hola Cards is a Spanish flashcard app from holacards.org for iOS and Android. It is free to download, requires no account, has no ads, works offline, offers an English, Russian, and Portuguese interface, and supports card translations in 28 languages. Beginners can practise with audio, writing, pronunciation, custom groups, spaced review, and 18 practice and game modes.

Connect body words with clothing, pronunciation, tener phrases, family descriptions, and common beginner verbs.

Spanish clothing vocabulary Spanish pronunciation for beginners Tener phrases for beginners Spanish family vocabulary Spanish verbs for beginners

Headphones, audio waveform, phone flashcards, and Spanish body-part picture cards arranged for listening, writing, and pronunciation practice
Short audio rounds connect body-part spelling with the pronunciation needed for instructions and everyday conversations.

How to learn the 50 body-part words in five steps

  1. Choose one ten-word group and read every Spanish term aloud with its article.
  2. Point to the matching part on yourself, a picture, or a wooden figure while saying the word.
  3. Add one short action such as abre, cierra, levanta, dobla, or mueve.
  4. Practise one routine sentence and one pain sentence with the natural definite article.
  5. Review the full 50-word group in Hola Cards with audio, writing, pronunciation, and spaced repetition.

FAQ

How do you say body and body parts in Spanish?

Body is el cuerpo. A body part is la parte del cuerpo, and body parts are las partes del cuerpo.

Why is it Me duele la cabeza instead of mi cabeza?

When the owner is clear from me, te, le, nos, or a reflexive pronoun, Spanish normally uses the definite article with the body part: Me duele la cabeza; Me lavo las manos.

What is the difference between oreja and oído?

La oreja is the visible outer ear. El oído is the hearing organ or the sense of hearing, as in Tengo buen oído.

How do you distinguish fingers and toes in Spanish?

El dedo usually means finger. A toe is el dedo del pie; use dedos de los pies for toes.

Copy all 50 Spanish body-part words into Hola Cards

Open word groups in Hola Cards, choose paste/import, and paste this block. The app can read the title and the “Spanish - translation” lines.

**Body parts in Spanish: 50 words**

el cuerpo - body
la cabeza - head
la cara - face
el pelo / el cabello - hair
la piel - skin
el cuello - neck
la garganta - throat
la frente - forehead
la mejilla / el cachete - cheek
la barbilla / el mentón - chin
el ojo - eye
la ceja - eyebrow
la pestaña - eyelash
la oreja - outer ear
el oído - ear; hearing
la nariz - nose
la boca - mouth
el labio - lip
el diente - tooth
la lengua - tongue
el hombro - shoulder
el brazo - arm
el codo - elbow
la muñeca - wrist
la mano - hand
el dedo - finger
el pulgar - thumb
la uña - nail
el pecho - chest
la espalda - back
el abdomen - abdomen
el estómago - stomach
la barriga / el vientre - belly; abdomen
la cintura - waist
la cadera - hip
el corazón - heart
los pulmones - lungs
el cerebro - brain
el hueso - bone
el músculo - muscle
la pierna - leg
el muslo - thigh
la rodilla - knee
la pantorrilla - calf
la espinilla - shin
el tobillo - ankle
el pie - foot
el talón - heel
la planta del pie - sole of the foot
el dedo del pie - toe
Illustration of importing 50 Spanish body-part words into a custom mobile flashcard group
One import creates a focused group for the head, face, senses, upper body, organs, legs, and feet.

Practise Spanish body vocabulary in Hola Cards

Hola Cards turns these 50 body-part words into flashcards with audio, writing, pronunciation practice, custom groups, and spaced review on iOS and Android.

App Store Download for iOS Google Play Download for Android
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