You use your body every day—so let’s learn how to talk about it in Spanish! In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn the most common body parts, how to use articles (el/la) and simple phrases like “Me duele…” to say something hurts. We’ll keep explanations in English and give Spanish examples with translations you can use right away.

The head and face: la cabeza y la cara

Here are the essential words for the head and face. Notice the articles: “el” (masculine) and “la” (feminine).

• la cabeza = the head
• la cara = the face
• el ojo / los ojos = the eye / the eyes
• la nariz = the nose
• la boca = the mouth
• el diente / los dientes = the tooth / the teeth
• la oreja = the ear (outer part)
• el oído = the inner ear (hearing) — used in medical contexts
• el pelo / el cabello = hair (both are common; “el pelo” is very common)

Arms and hands: los brazos y las manos

Now for the upper body you use every day:

• el hombro = the shoulder
• el brazo = the arm
• la mano = the hand
• el dedo / los dedos = the finger / the fingers

Important exception: Even though it ends in -o, “la mano” is feminine.

Me duele .

Quick use phrases

Try these handy lines:

• “Me duele el brazo.” = My arm hurts.
• “Me duelen los dedos.” = My fingers hurt.
• “Tengo dolor en el hombro.” = I have pain in my shoulder.

Legs and feet: las piernas y los pies

Moving down the body:

• la pierna = the leg
• la rodilla = the knee
• el pie = the foot
• el dedo del pie / los dedos del pie = toe / toes

Here are some quick vocab cards for practice.

The torso: el torso

A few everyday words for the middle of the body:

• el pecho = the chest
• la espalda = the back
• el estómago = the stomach
• la barriga = the belly/tummy (very common in everyday speech)
• el corazón = the heart

Cultural note: pelo vs cabello

Both mean “hair.” In many regions, “el pelo” is the everyday word. “el cabello” can sound a bit more formal or used in some regions. You’ll be understood if you use either.

Mini doctor visit: put the lines in order

Reorder this short conversation.

Translations (for understanding):

• Doctor: “¿Dónde te duele?” = Where does it hurt?
• Patient: “Me duele el pie.” = My foot hurts.
• Patient: “Mi pie está hinchado.” = My foot is swollen.
• Doctor: “Te examino el pie.” = I’ll examine your foot.

Note: Spanish often uses the article with body parts (el pie) after verbs, but possessives like “mi pie” are also fine when you specifically want to emphasize “my.”

el mano → la mano la mano is feminine, even though it ends in -o. Me duelen el estómago. → Me duele el estómago. Use duelen with plural nouns; estómago is singular → duele. Me duele mi cabeza. → Me duele la cabeza. Use the article with body parts in this pattern, not a possessive.

Quick review: spot the right form

Check your understanding with these.

Wrap-up and practice

You learned the most common body parts and two super-useful patterns for talking about pain:

• Me duele + singular / Me duelen + plural
• Tengo dolor de + body part

Keep it simple. In everyday conversation, the article (el/la/los/las) is very common with body parts, especially with verbs like doler.

Try making your own sentences:

• “Me duele ___.” (choose: la cabeza, el brazo, la rodilla)
• “Me duelen ___.” (choose: los ojos, los dientes, los pies)
• “Tengo dolor de ___.” (choose: espalda, estómago)

You’ve got this! Review the vocab for each section, and practice the short doctor dialogue until it feels natural. With these basics, you can describe common situations and feel confident talking about your body in Spanish.