Body Parts in Spanish: A1 Vocabulary Guide
◄ Back to A1 Vocabulary Hub | Practice with Our Body Parts Quiz ►
Key Takeaways
- Learn the essential Spanish vocabulary for major parts of the body.
- Master simple phrases to describe how you feel when something hurts.
- Understand how to use the verb “doler” (to hurt) correctly.
- Practice conversations at the doctor’s office or when talking about health.
Get to Know Your Body in Spanish
Learning the parts of the body is a fundamental step in any language. It’s not only essential for describing people but also crucial for talking about health, feelings, and everyday situations like “I have a headache” or “My foot hurts.” Let’s get started!
The Head and Face (La Cabeza y La Cara)
Let’s start from the top with the parts of your head and face.
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Head | la cabeza | Me duele la cabeza. (My head hurts.) |
| Hair | el pelo / el cabello | Tengo el pelo largo. (I have long hair.) |
| Face | la cara / el rostro | Lavo mi cara por la mañana. (I wash my face in the morning.) |
| Forehead | la frente | Tiene la frente alta. (He has a high forehead.) |
| Eye | el ojo | Tengo dos ojos marrones. (I have two brown eyes.) |
| Ear | la oreja (outer) / el oído (inner/hearing) | Las orejas están a los lados de la cabeza. (The ears are on the sides of the head.) |
| Nose | la nariz | La nariz está en el centro de la cara. (The nose is in the center of the face.) |
| Mouth | la boca | Como con la boca. (I eat with my mouth.) |
| Lip | el labio | Uso protector para los labios. (I use lip balm.) |
| Tooth | el diente (plural: los dientes) | Me cepillo los dientes. (I brush my teeth.) |
| Tongue | la lengua | La lengua es importante para hablar. (The tongue is important for speaking.) |
| Neck | el cuello | Llevo una bufanda en el cuello. (I wear a scarf around my neck.) |
The Torso (El Torso)
The central part of your body.
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | el hombro | Cargo mi mochila en el hombro. (I carry my backpack on my shoulder.) |
| Back | la espalda | Duermo boca arriba para la espalda. (I sleep on my back for my back.) |
| Chest | el pecho | El corazón está en el pecho. (The heart is in the chest.) |
| Arm | el brazo | Levanto el brazo. (I raise my arm.) |
| Elbow | el codo | El codo es una articulación. (The elbow is a joint.) |
| Wrist | la muñeca | Llevo un reloj en la muñeca. (I wear a watch on my wrist.) |
| Hand | la mano | Dos manos tienen diez dedos. (Two hands have ten fingers.) |
| Finger | el dedo (de la mano) | El anillo está en mi dedo. (The ring is on my finger.) |
| Stomach | el estómago | Tengo hambre en el estómago. (I feel hunger in my stomach.) |
The Lower Body (La Parte Inferior del Cuerpo)
From the waist down.
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Leg | la pierna | Camino con mis piernas. (I walk with my legs.) |
| Knee | la rodilla | Me duele la rodilla. (My knee hurts.) |
| Ankle | el tobillo | El tobillo conecta el pie con la pierna. (The ankle connects the foot to the leg.) |
| Foot | el pie (plural: los pies) | Tengo dos pies. (I have two feet.) |
| Toe | el dedo (del pie) | Muevo los dedos del pie. (I wiggle my toes.) |
Talking About Pain and Health (Hablar de Dolor y Salud)
The most common way to say something hurts is using the verb doler (to hurt). It works like the verb gustar.
Structure:
- Me duele + [singular body part] = My [body part] hurts.
- Me duelen + [plural body part] = My [body part] hurts.
Examples:
- Me duele la cabeza. (My head hurts. / I have a headache.)
- Me duele el estómago. (My stomach hurts.)
- Me duelen los pies. (My feet hurt.)
- Me duelen los oídos. (My ears hurt.)
🤒 Feeling sick? Review our health vocabulary: Health & Feelings in Spanish ►
How “Me Duele” Works – Expressing Pain in Spanish
You might wonder why we say “me duele” instead of “yo duelo.” This is because the verb doler (to hurt) works differently than regular verbs. It follows the same pattern as verbs like gustar (to like).
The Simple Explanation:
- The body part that hurts is actually the subject of the sentence
- The person feeling pain is the indirect object
Breakdown:
- Me duele la cabeza. (The head hurts me.)
- Te duele el estómago. (The stomach hurts you.)
- Le duelen los pies. (The feet hurt him/her.)
Remember:
- Use duele with singular body parts: “Me duele la mano”
- Use duelen with plural body parts: “Me duelen las manos”
📚 Want to master this grammar pattern? Learn more about how these special verbs work: Spanish Verbs Like Gustar: A1 Grammar Guide ►
Quick Tip: You’ll never say “Yo duelo” – the person feeling pain always comes first as “me,” “te,” or “le.”
At the Doctor’s Office (En el Consultorio Médico)
Useful phrases for a medical situation.
Patient:
- “No me siento bien.” (I don’t feel well.)
- “Tengo dolor aquí.” (I have pain here.)
- “Tengo fiebre.” (I have a fever.)
- “Tengo tos.” (I have a cough.)
Doctor:
- “¿Dónde le duele?” (Where does it hurt?)
- “¿Qué síntomas tiene?” (What symptoms do you have?)
- “Abra la boca, por favor.” (Open your mouth, please.)
- “Necesita descansar.” (You need to rest.)
Putting It All Together: A Doctor’s Visit
Doctor: Buenos días. ¿Qué le pasa?
Patient: Buenos días, doctor. No me siento bien.
Doctor: ¿Qué síntomas tiene?
Patient: Me duele mucho la cabeza y me duele la garganta.
Doctor: ¿Tiene fiebre?
Patient: Sí, un poco. También me duelen los músculos.
Doctor: Abra la boca, por favor. Ah, veo la garganta roja. Necesita descansar y beber mucha agua.
Patient: Gracias, doctor.
Translation:
Doctor: Good morning. What’s wrong?
Patient: Good morning, doctor. I don’t feel well.
Doctor: What symptoms do you have?
Patient: My head hurts a lot and my throat hurts.
Doctor: Do you have a fever?
Patient: Yes, a little. My muscles hurt too.
Doctor: Open your mouth, please. Ah, I see your throat is red. You need to rest and drink a lot of water.
Patient: Thank you, doctor.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Gender Confusion: Remember the gender: la cabeza, el pie, la mano.
- Using “doler” incorrectly: It’s “Me duele la cabeza” (singular), not “Me duelo la cabeza.” (“Me duelo” means “I grieve/mourn myself”).
- Plurals with “doler”: Use “me duelen” for plural body parts: “Me duelen los ojos.”
- “Pelo” vs. “Cabello”: Both mean hair; pelo is more common for general use, cabello is often for head hair in a slightly more formal context.
- “Oreja” vs. “Oído”: Oreja is the outer ear; oído refers to the inner ear and the sense of hearing.
Quick Reference Chart
| Category | Spanish Vocabulary |
|---|---|
| Head & Face | cabeza, pelo, ojo, nariz, boca, diente |
| Torso | hombro, espalda, pecho, brazo, mano, estómago |
| Lower Body | pierna, rodilla, pie, tobillo |
| Pain & Health | “Me duele(n)…”, “No me siento bien”, “Tengo dolor” |
| Doctor’s Phrases | “¿Dónde le duele?”, “Abra la boca”, “Necesita descansar” |
Practice Exercise: Describe a Person
Look at a picture of a person or someone near you. Try to describe them using 5 body parts and 2 adjectives.
Example: “Mi amigo tiene el pelo negro y largo. Tiene ojos verdes y una nariz pequeña. Sonríe con su boca grande. Tiene las manos grandes.”
💡 Grammar Tools
Practice conjugating the verb “doler”:
Spanish Verb Conjugation Tool ►
Ready to Practice?
Think you know your cabeza from your pie? Test your knowledge of body parts and health phrases!
Take our Body Parts Quiz ► to make this vocabulary stick.
What’s Next in Your A1 Spanish Journey?
◄ Clothing & Accessories | Health & Feelings ►
