Body Parts (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Las partes del cuerpo - Body parts
Learning to name parts of the body in Spanish is essential for describing yourself, talking about health, and understanding basic instructions. Spanish body part vocabulary follows clear patterns that will help you remember the words more easily.
Head and face vocabulary
The head contains many important features we use daily in conversation. Most facial features are feminine nouns, while some are masculine.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la cabeza | the head |
| la cara | the face |
| la frente | the forehead |
| el ojo | the eye |
| la nariz | the nose |
| la boca | the mouth |
| la oreja | the ear |
| los dientes | the teeth |
| los labios | the lips |
| el cuello | the neck |
Ejemplo de uso: Describing facial features
- Tengo dolor de cabeza. (I have a headache.)
- Sus ojos son azules. (His/her eyes are blue.)
- Me duele la garganta. (My throat hurts.)
- La nariz está en el centro de la cara. (The nose is in the centre of the face.)
Patrón gramatical importante: Notice that 'ojo' (eye) is masculine singular, but 'ojos' (eyes) becomes 'los ojos' in the plural. Body parts that come in pairs are often used in the plural form.
Arms and hands vocabulary
These body parts help us perform daily actions and are frequently used when giving directions or describing activities.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el brazo | the arm |
| el codo | the elbow |
| la muñeca | the wrist |
| la mano | the hand |
| los dedos | the fingers |
| el hombro | the shoulder |
Ejemplo de uso: Actions with arms and hands
- Levanta la mano derecha. (Raise your right hand.)
- Me duele el brazo izquierdo. (My left arm hurts.)
- Los dedos están en las manos. (The fingers are on the hands.)
- El codo conecta el brazo con el antebrazo. (The elbow connects the upper arm with the forearm.)
Excepción importante: 'Mano' (hand) is feminine despite ending in -o. This is an important exception to remember: la mano, las manos.
Legs and feet vocabulary
These body parts are essential for describing movement, sports, and physical activities.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la pierna | the leg |
| la rodilla | the knee |
| el pie | the foot |
| los dedos del pie | the toes |
| el tobillo | the ancle |
Ejemplo de uso: Movement and activities
- Camino con las piernas y los pies. (I walk with my legs and feet.)
- La rodilla duele después del fútbol. (The knee hurts after football.)
- Los dedos del pie son más pequeños. (The toes are smaller.)
- El tobillo está entre la pierna y el pie. (The ancle is between the leg and the foot.)
Torso vocabulary
The torso contains vital organs and forms the central part of the body.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el pecho | the chest |
| la espalda | the back |
| el estómago | the stomach |
| la garganta | the throat |
Example sentences:
- El corazón está en el pecho. (The heart is in the chest.)
- Mi espalda está cansada. (My back is tired.)
- Tengo dolor de estómago. (I have a stomach ache.)
- La garganta conecta la boca con el estómago. (The throat connects the mouth with the stomach.)
Internal body parts vocabulary
These words help you discuss health and understand medical or scientific contexts.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el corazón | the heart |
| el hueso | the bone |
| la piel | the skin |
| la sangre | the blood |
Example sentences:
- El corazón bombea la sangre. (The heart pumps blood.)
- Los huesos forman el esqueleto. (The bones form the skeleton.)
- La piel protege el cuerpo. (The skin protects the body.)
- La sangre es roja. (Blood is red.)
Phrase bank
Expresiones útiles para situaciones reales:
These useful expressions will help you communicate about body parts in real situations:
- Me duele... (My... hurts)
- ¿Dónde te duele? (Where does it hurt?)
- Tengo dolor de... (I have a... ache)
- Mi... está bien (My... is fine)
- ¿Puedes mover el/la...? (Can you move your...?)
- Señala con el dedo (Point with your finger)
Grammar focus: Articles and gender
Reglas fundamentales de género:
Spanish nouns have gender (masculine or feminine), which affects the article used:
Masculine articles: el (singular), los (plural)
- el brazo → los brazos
- el pie → los pies
Feminine articles: la (singular), las (plural)
- la mano → las manos
- la pierna → las piernas
Key pattern: Most body parts ending in -a are feminine, those ending in -o are masculine. However, la mano is an important exception.
Translation exercises
Ejercicios de práctica:
Spanish to English:
- Me duelen los pies después de caminar.
- La cabeza está encima del cuello.
English to Spanish: 3. My shoulders are tired. 4. The eyes are on the face.
Common errors and fixes
Errores comunes que debes evitar:
-
Error: el mano → Fix: la mano (hand is feminine despite ending in -o)
-
Error: los oreja → Fix: las orejas (ears are feminine, so use feminine plural article)
-
Error: me duele mis brazos → Fix: me duelen los brazos (use plural verb form 'duelen' for plural body parts)
-
Error: tengo dolor en mi estómago → Fix: tengo dolor de estómago (use 'de' not 'en' for body part pain)
Translation exercise answers
Respuestas:
- My feet hurt after walking.
- The head is above the neck.
- Mis hombros están cansados.
- Los ojos están en la cara.
Remember!
Puntos clave para recordar:
- Body parts follow gender rules: most ending in -a are feminine, most ending in -o are masculine (except la mano)
- Use the correct article: el/la for singular, los/las for plural
- For pain, use "me duele" (singular) or "me duelen" (plural)
- Many body parts come in pairs, so learn both singular and plural forms
- Practice with 'me duele...' to talk about aches and pains