Body parts in Spanish and French
The body is where the article matters most: both languages normally say the head, the arm, where English says my head, my arm.
The words
| Picture | English | Spanish | French |
|---|---|---|---|
| head | la cabeza | la tête | |
| hair | el pelo | les cheveux | |
| face | la cara | le visage | |
| eye | el ojo | l'œil | |
| ear | la oreja | l'oreille | |
| nose | la nariz | le nez | |
| mouth | la boca | la bouche | |
| tooth | el diente | la dent | |
| tongue | la lengua | la langue | |
| neck | el cuello | le cou | |
| shoulder | el hombro | l'épaule | |
| arm | el brazo | le bras | |
| elbow | el codo | · | |
| hand | la mano | la main | |
| finger | el dedo | le doigt | |
| stomach | el estómago | le ventre | |
| back | la espalda | le dos | |
| leg | la pierna | la jambe | |
| knee | la rodilla | le genou | |
| foot | el pie | le pied | |
| toe | · | l'orteil |
Where two forms are given, both are standard in different regions and both are marked right on the answer keys. Every word is checked in two dictionaries: how we check. Pictures: OpenMoji, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Language Sheets.
Make a worksheet: body parts
Word search, bingo, crossword, matching or flashcards, with a separate answer key.
Spanish: me duele la cabeza
With body parts Spanish uses the article, not the possessive: Me duele la cabeza (my head hurts), Me lavo las manos.
La mano is feminine despite ending in -o. La nariz becomes las narices in the plural.
French: j'ai mal à la tête
French also uses the article: J'ai mal à la tête, Je me lave les mains.
Watch the irregular plurals: l'œil, les yeux; le genou, les genoux. Les cheveux (hair) is plural.
In the classroom
A matching sheet with pictures works from the first lesson; a crossword is a good end-of-topic check. Simon dit and Simón dice are the obvious games to warm up with.