Talking about Body Parts in Spanish (with listening practice)

This lesson will cover some common words for body parts in Spanish. You will also learn some common verbs associated to the human body and the right way to use them in meaningful expressions. Moreover, you will be able to practice with two Spanish listening activities and quizzes. Let’s start…

Vocabulary: Body parts in Spanish – Las partes del cuerpo

The human body (el cuerpo humano) has so many parts that we would need lots of lessons to introduce them. However, we won’t normally talk about all of them unless we are studying anatomy (anatomía). With that said, we will introduce some words for parts of the body in Spanish that you will often hear in conversations. Check the image below and find out how many of these you already words you know.

Human parts of the body in Spanish vocabulary and listening exercises

As we mentioned before, the vocabulary on this topic is somewhat broad. The previous words are definitely essential, but if you do want to learn a few more, here is a very nice picture illustrating most of the body parts and their names in Spanish, at least the ones for everyday conversations. The more you can memorize, the better because they could help you in real situations like a visit to the doctor or any time you need to talk about your body.

A list of all body parts in Spanish illustrated with some kid's drawing.

Online vocabulary practice

Look at the pictures again, and then write each of the body parts illustrated on the interactive vocabulary flashcards below.

Phrases and verbs for talking about parts of the body in Spanish

Now, we will focus on using the vocabulary for body parts in Spanish in real situations. First, we will often use these verbs when talking about the human body in Spanish: 

“Servir” (useful for…), “Ver/Mirar” (to see), “Mover” (to move), “Levantar” (to raise), “Sostener” (to hold/grab), “Caminar” (to walk), “Comer” (to eat), “Beber” (to drink) and “Respirar” (to breathe).

Here are some examples using these and other verbs to talk about the human body in Spanish. Click on PLAY to listen to the examples.

Me gusta mucho el color de sus ojos.
I really like the color of his eyes.
Me duele la cabeza ¿Tienes alguna pastilla para el dolor?
I have a headache. Do you have any pills?
En anatomía, la frente es la parte frontal de la cabeza.
In anatomy, the forehead is the front part of the head.
¿Puedes abrir la boca?
Can you open your mouth?
Necesito un corte de pelo – Si quieres, yo te lo puedo cortar.
I need a haircut – If you want, I can cut it for you.
Ese muchacho tiene las orejas muy grandes.
That boy has very big ears.
¿Te duele el pecho al respirar profundo?
Does your chest hurt when you breathe deeply?
Levanta este libro con el brazo. Lo debes sostener por 10 segundos.
Raise this book with your arm. You must hold it for 10 seconds.
Mueve la pierna derecha y luego mueve la izquierda un poco.
Move your right leg and then move the left one slightly.
Ella no puede caminar bien porque tiene una herida en el pie.
She can not walk well because she has a foot injury.
Sostén la cuerda fuertemente con ambas manos.
Hold the rope tightly with both hands.
El estómago sirve para procesar los alimentos.
The stomach is used to process food.

Listening Activity No.1: Describing parts of the body in Spanish

Listen to some people describing parts of the body in Spanish. For each item you will be given three options so your job is to choose the correct one based on the description provided in the recording.
Audio script: Describing body parts in Spanish
No. 1.
Esta parte del cuerpo sirve para ver las cosas a tu alrededor
Los ojos
La mano
Los pies

No. 2
Esta parte del cuerpo sirve para sostener cosas
La mano
El pelo
La cabeza

No. 3.
Esta parte del cuerpo sirve para caminar
Los pies
Las orejas
El pecho

No 4. Esta parte del cuerpo sirve para escuchar a los demás
Las orejas (el oído)
La frente
El brazo

No. 5. Esta parte del cuerpo sirve para comer y beber.
La cabeza
El pecho
La boca

Listening Activity No.2: The human body in Spanish – El cuerpo humano

It’s time for the main listening activity in this lesson. Listen to someone describing the human body in Spanish and explaining the specific role of some body parts. The audio includes the vocabulary above, as well as new words related to the topic. Write down the new details and vocabulary and then solve the listening quiz about it.

Key phrases in the recording:

  • “Las extremidades” is a word used to refer to our arms and legs.
  • “Sirve para…” means “It is used to…”
  • “Podemos encontrar” means “We can find…”
Audio script: Describing the human body in Spanish
El cuerpo humano está formado por tres partes principales: la cabeza, el tronco y las extremidades. En la cabeza podemos encontrar muchas partes importantes como los ojos, las orejas, la nariz, la boca y la frente. Los ojos sirven para ver todo lo que está a nuestro alrededor, las orejas sirven para escuchar, la nariz sirve para respirar y la boca para comer y beber lo que necesitamos cada día. El tronco también tiene muchas partes como el pecho, el estómago, los pulmones y el corazón, entre muchos otros. Finalmente, las extremidades nos sirven para hacer muchas cosas cada día. Los brazos y las manos nos sirven para alcanzar objetos y sostenerlos también. Las piernas y los pies nos sirven para caminar y movernos de un lugar a otro. En fin, cada parte del cuerpo tiene una función importante en nuestra vida diaria.

Related Spanish worksheets:

  1. Parts of the Body in Spanish – PDF Crossword Puzzle
  2. The Vocabulary for Illnesses in Spanish
  3. Adjectives for Appearance in Spanish
  4. Let’s talk about Health in Spanish – Conversation cards
  5. At the Hospital in Spanish (Key Vocabulary)
  6. Medical Breakthroughs in Spanish (Reading)
  7. Body Parts in Spanish (Vocabulary)
  8. Pharmacy Vocabulary in Spanish (Labeling items)
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