Introduction
Knowing body vocabulary becomes critical the moment you need a doctor, a pharmacy, or even just to say "my head hurts." These words are also useful for descriptions and everyday expressions.
The Head & Face (La Cabeza y La Cara)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la cabeza | head |
| el pelo / el cabello | hair |
| la cara | face |
| la frente | forehead |
| el ojo | eye |
| la oreja | ear (outer) |
| el oído | ear (inner / hearing) |
| la nariz | nose |
| la boca | mouth |
| los labios | lips |
| los dientes | teeth |
| la lengua | tongue |
| la mejilla | cheek |
| el cuello | neck |
The Body (El Cuerpo)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el hombro | shoulder |
| el brazo | arm |
| el codo | elbow |
| la muñeca | wrist |
| la mano | hand |
| el dedo | finger |
| el pecho | chest |
| la espalda | back |
| el estómago | stomach |
| la pierna | leg |
| la rodilla | knee |
| el tobillo | ankle |
| el pie | foot |
| el dedo del pie | toe |
Reminder: La mano is feminine despite ending in -o. El pie is masculine.
Expressing Pain: Doler
The verb doler (to hurt) works like gustar — the body part is the subject:
- Me duele la cabeza. — My head hurts. (The head hurts to me.)
- Me duelen los pies. — My feet hurt.
- Le duele el estómago. — His/Her stomach hurts.
| Singular body part | Plural body part | |
|---|---|---|
| me (my) | me duele | me duelen |
| te (your) | te duele | te duelen |
| le (his/her) | le duele | le duelen |
| nos (our) | nos duele | nos duelen |
Common Symptoms (Síntomas)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la fiebre | fever |
| la tos | cough |
| el resfriado / el catarro | cold |
| la gripe | flu |
| el dolor de cabeza | headache |
| el dolor de garganta | sore throat |
| las náuseas | nausea |
| el mareo | dizziness |
| la alergia | allergy |
| la herida | wound |
Describing symptoms
- Tengo fiebre. — I have a fever.
- Tengo tos. — I have a cough.
- Estoy mareado/mareada. — I'm dizzy.
- Me siento mal. — I feel sick.
- Estoy resfriado/resfriada. — I have a cold.
At the Doctor / Pharmacy
- Necesito ver a un doctor. — I need to see a doctor.
- ¿Dónde hay una farmacia? — Where is there a pharmacy?
- ¿Necesito receta? — Do I need a prescription?
- Soy alérgico/alérgica a la penicilina. — I'm allergic to penicillin.
- ¿Cada cuántas horas tomo la medicina? — How often do I take the medicine?
Practice
How do you say 'My head hurts'?
Which is correct for 'My feet hurt'?
How do you say 'I have a fever'?
'La mano' is feminine even though it ends in -o. Which article is correct for plural?